Criminal Behavior and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Vietnam Veterans

When a sample of Vietnam veterans who has been incarcerated in the state prisons of Iowa were compared with a sample of Vietnam veterans from the community, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was found to be roughly the same, 39% and 37%, respectively. Ratings of combat stress to which these veterans had been exposed were also similar, although high combat stress was associated with the development of PTSD in both groups. On the other hand, a greater proportion of veteran inmates were found to have antisocial personality disorder with an onset prior to military service. Thirty-six percent met criteria for antisocial personality compared to 7% of the control group. Alcohol and drug abuse were also identified more frequently among incarcerated veterans, particularly those with PTSD. In no instance was a direct relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder and crimes leading to imprisonment observed. The findings indicate that, although aggressive tendencies may result from combat exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder does not have an important causal relationship to felonious behavior.