scholarly journals Coping Strategies as Moderators of the Association Between Combat Exposure and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 491-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas W. Britt ◽  
Amy B. Adler ◽  
Gargi Sawhney ◽  
Paul D. Bliese
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Combat Exposure ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

Psychiatric Morbidity in Australian Veterans of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Somalia

1997 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Warren Ward
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Morbidity ◽  
Combat Exposure ◽  
Psychiatric History ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
United Nations Peacekeeping

Objective: Since World War II, an increasing number of soldiers have been deployed in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping forces. However, little is known about the psychiatric impact of such deployments. The present study investigated the nature, prevalence, aetiology and natural history of psychiatric morbidity in Australian veterans of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Somalia. Method: Fifteen months after their return from Somalia, 117 Somalian veterans completed the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), the Impact of Events Scale (IES), the Combat Exposure Scale (CES), and a checklist of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, completed by veterans 12 months previously as part of an evaluation by the Department of Defence. Seventy-seven non-veteran controls also completed the GHQ-28. Results: Veterans scored significantly higher on the GHQ-28 than controls. Twenty-four-point-eight per cent (24.8%) of veterans were GHQ cases (using 4/5 as a cut-off point) compared to 13.0% of controls. Psychiatric morbidity in veterans was associated with combat exposure and a past psychiatric history. Levels of morbidity reduced over time, although they remained substantial at 15 months following soldiers' return to Australia, with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms being reported by approximately 20% of veterans. Conclusions: At least one-fifth of Australian soldiers who served in Somalia had significant levels of psychiatric morbidity 15 months following their return. This was almost twice that of their non-veteran peers. Risk factors for the development of psychiatric morbidity included combat exposure and past psychiatric history. Levels of psychiatric morbidity were much higher than those reported in previous studies on UN soldiers.

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