Emotional Disclosure and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms: Veteran and Spouse Reports

The amount of positive and negative emotions that Service members share with others following deployment may impact later adjustment and well-being. Associations between factors of emotional disclosure (e.g., amount, valence, listener) and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) were examined among Service members deployed in OEF/OIF and their spouses. Service members were more likely to disclose positive emotions, and while greater disclosure of positive emotions to civilians predicted lower PTSS four to six months later, greater disclosure of positive emotions to other Veterans predicted higher PTSS.