Self-Reported Sexually Transmitted Infections and Sexual Risk Behaviors in the US Military: How Sex Influences Risk

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in male veterans has been linked with impaired family relationships and psychopathology in their children. Less is known about symptoms in children of veterans with partial PTSD. Objective: To compare mental health problems, family functioning and parent–child bonding among adolescent offspring of male veterans with no PTSD, partial PTSD and full PTSD, and to examine the relationship between adolescent mental health problems and family factors. Methods Consecutive outpatient adolescent offspring (12–18 years) of Croatian male veterans with no PTSD, partial PTSD and full PTSD matched for age, sex, educational level, family income, parental employment, nationality, and residential area reported on emotional and behavioral problems, family functioning and parent–child bonding. Results: The full PTSD group reported higher levels of total behavior problems, family functioning problems and parental control than the partial PTSD group, which in turn, reported higher levels than the no PTSD group. The partial and full PTSD groups reported comparable levels of emotional and behavioral problems, and parental care. The partial and no PTSD groups did not differ on maternal care, which was significantly higher in these groups than in the full PTSD group. Higher levels of emotional and behavioral symptoms were associated with lower levels of maternal care in the partial PTSD group.