Publication year
2012
Citation Title
An examination of PTSD and relationship functioning in soldiers of the Iraq war over time
Journal Name
Journal of Traumatic Stress
Journal Volume
25
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
187-190
DOI
10.1002/jts.21689
Summary
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and severity may impact the relationship adjustment of Service members and their partners. Longitudinal methods were used to examine PTSD, PTSD symptom clusters (e.g., re-experiencing, emotional numbness), and relationship adjustment in National Guard Soldiers who were deployed to Iraq between 2006 and 2007 and their partners. Results indicated that PTSD symptom severity and emotional distress are related to relationship adjustment over time.
Key Findings
Higher PTSD symptom severity in Guard Soldiers at the first time point predicted lower partners’ relationship adjustment at the second time point.
Guard Soldiers who experienced high levels of emotional distress as a component of PTSD reported poorer relationship adjustment at both time points.
Partners’ relationship satisfaction was not related to the severity of any PTSD symptom cluster.
Relationship adjustment at the first time point was not associated with PTSD symptoms at the second time point for Guard Soldiers or partners.
Implications for Program Leaders
Provide workshops during reintegration to military spouses that provide information on PTSD and resources available for Service members and partners
Offer long-term support groups for Service members with PTSD and their partners in order to facilitate healthy communication
Enhance education efforts for Service members on PTSD and how it may impact relationship and family functioning
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to support programs for couples that support healthy relationship functioning after deployment
Encourage partnerships between reintegration services and programs that support military families’ healthy functioning
Recommend professional development for service providers on how PTSD symptoms and severity may impact Service members’ relationships
Methods
Participants were recruited from a larger study of National Guard Soldiers who were deployed to Iraq between 2006 and 2007.
Soldiers and their partners answered self-report questionnaires about PTSD and relationship adjustment separately within a year after return from deployment.
Follow-up surveys were collected via mail six to nine months of the first survey. Response rate for the second survey was 80%.
Data were analyzed to determine the association between PTSD symptoms and couple adjustment over time.
Participants
Participants included 49 male Soldiers and their female spouses or cohabitating partners.
The majority of the sample identified as White (92%). No other information on racial or ethnic breakdown was given.
Ages ranged from 21 to 53 years old for both Soldiers and their partners. The average age of Soldiers was 34.71 years (SD = 7.39), and average age of partners was 33.61 years (SD = 8.43).
Limitations
All couples sampled were male Soldiers with female partners, limiting the generalizability of this study to other service branches or to male partners of Service members.
A small sample of Guard Soldiers from the same region were used, limiting the ability to generalize the results to other branches or to populations in different areas of the country.
Results from this study were correlational, therefore causation cannot be implied.
Avenues for Future Research
Replicate this study with a larger sample size and in different branches of the military
Consider gender and military status as variables in the relationship between PTSD and relationship adjustment
Examine other variables (e.g., depression) that could interact with PTSD symptoms in regards to relationship adjustment
Focus
Army
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
We examined associations between overall posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, symptom clusters of PTSD (reexperiencing, avoidance, dysphoria, and arousal), and relationship adjustment cross sectionally and longitudinally using self-report measures from a dyadic sample of U.S. National Guard soldiers from the Iraq war and their intimate partners (N = 49 couples). Results of multilevel modeling revealed that Time 1 PTSD symptom severity significantly predicted lower relationship adjustment as rated by partners at Time 2 after controlling for baseline relationship adjustment (β=−.20, p = .025). Total PTSD symptoms did not significantly predict soldiers’ratings of relationship adjustment at Time 2. For soldiers, the PTSD symptom cluster of dysphoria was uniquely and significantly related to relationship adjustment ratings both at Time 1 and at Time 2, controlling for Time 1 adjustment. For partners, none of the soldiers’ PTSD symptoms clusters was uniquely associated with Time 1 relationship adjustment or with change in adjustment over time. In contrast, findings regarding the effect of relationship adjustment on changes in PTSD over time found that Time 1 relationship adjustment was not associated with changes in PTSD symptoms at Time 2.
Abstract Document
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