Involvement in Abusive Violence Among Vietnam Veterans: Direct and Indirect Associations With Substance Use Problems and Suicidality

A survey of Vietnam combat Veterans was conducted to test whether experiences of abusive violence toward enemies or noncombatants were directly and/or indirectly linked with drug or alcohol problems and/or suicidality via posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or guilt. Forty percent of the sample witnessed and/or were directly involved in acts of abusive violence while deployed in Vietnam. These experiences were indirectly linked with substance abuse via PTSD, and both indirectly and directly linked with suicidality via PTSD.