Publication year
2006
Citation Title
Domestic violence in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder who seek couples therapy.
Journal Name
Journal of Marital and FamilyTherapy
Journal Volume
32
Issue Number
4
Page Numbers
479-490
DOI
10.1111/j.1752-0606.2006.tb01622
Summary
Mental health diagnoses following deployment can influence Veterans' relationships and risk for domestic violence. The likelihood of experiencing domestic violence was compared across Service members with different diagnoses (i.e., post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], depression, adjustment disorders, relational problems) and their spouses. Findings suggest that Veterans with PTSD or depression are significantly more likely to perpetrate relationship violence than Veterans without those mental health diagnoses.
Key Findings
Veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD or depression are more likely to perpetrate violence toward their partners than Veterans without a diagnosis of PTSD or depression.
Younger Veterans and Veterans with major physical health problems are at increased risk for perpetrating domestic violence.
More Veterans with PTSD (29%) and their partners (40%) listed anger and violence as a reason for seeking treatment than Veterans without PTSD (8%) and their partners (21%).
Implications for Program Leaders
Educate military spouses and partners about the association between Service member mental health concerns and domestic violence and teach them how to seek help if they become a victim of domestic violence
Include curricula on domestic violence prevention for Service members with PTSD or depression
Offer support groups that teach Service members experiencing PTSD or depression coping skills to help deal with anger
Implications for Policy Makers
Continue to develop programs that treat PTSD and depression among Service members in committed relationships
Encourage awareness programs that decrease the stigma of mental health diagnoses and help individuals in violent relationships to seek treatment
Recommend treatment center initiatives to routinely ask clients with PTSD or depression about problems with aggression and domestic violence
Methods
Researchers recruited Veterans and their partners seeking relationship therapy at an outpatient family therapy clinic in a Midwestern Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center.
Questionnaires regarding relationship violence, marital satisfaction, and relationship closeness and intimacy were completed by each partner.
Domestic violence risk was compared across groups of Veterans based on mental health diagnoses (e.g., PTSD, depression, adjustment disorder).
Participants
Participants were 179 male Veterans with a primary diagnosis of PTSD (34%), major depression (38%), or adjustment disorder or partner relational problems (28%) and their female partners who sought treatment from 1997 to 2003.
Veterans were ages 23-83 years (M = 49.5, SD = 10.6) and identified as White (87%), Black (10%), Latino (2%), and Native American (1%); female spouses or partners were ages 22-77 years (M = 45.8, SD = 10.8).
The majority of couples were married (92%), and couples had been together for 13.60 (SD = 11.93) years on average.
Limitations
This study used a convenience sample from one VA medical center, which may limit generalizability of results to other couples.
The severity and frequency of domestic violence may have been under-reported due to the stigma of domestic violence.
Participants were predominately middle-aged, male, Vietnam-era Veterans, which limits the generalizability of the findings to Veterans with differing demographics.
Avenues for Future Research
Replicate the study with different military populations (e.g., OEF/OIF Veterans, national samples)
Examine the impact of family reintegration programs on couples' risk for experiencing domestic violence
Explore domestic violence among less traditional families (e.g., female Service members, same-sex couples)
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Domestic violence rates among Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are higher than those of the general population. Individuals who have been diagnosed with PTSD who seek couples therapy with their partners constitute an understudied population. Self-report measures of domestic violence, relationship satisfaction, and intimacy were administered at intake to 179 couples seeking relationship therapy at a Veterans Affairs clinic. Couples in which the Veteran was diagnosed with combat-related PTSD were compared with two other groups based on the Veteran's primary diagnosis (depression, adjustment disorde /V-code). Both the PTSD- and depression-diagnosed Veterans perpetrated more violence than did those with adjustment/V-code diagnoses. Domestic violence rates among depressed and PTSD-diagnosed Veterans were much higher than those found in previous research. Implications for assessment and treatment are discussed.
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