Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms 5 Years After Military Deployment to Afghanistan: An Observational Cohort Study

Service members who are deployed are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. This study uses longitudinal data to model trajectories for how symptoms may present over time: low level and stable (resilient), moderate but increasing (delayed onset), and increasing symptoms in the first year but decreasing (recovering). Findings indicate that Soldiers who experience heavy combat and younger Soldiers may more likely display a delayed onset of symptoms.