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Two studies of reported pretraumatic stressors' effect on posttraumatic stress disorder severity
Author(s) -
Watson Charles G.,
Brown Kevin,
Kucala Teresa,
Juba Mark,
Davenport Ernest C.,
Anderson Douglas
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/1097-4679(199305)49:3<311::aid-jclp2270490302>3.0.co;2-r
Subject(s) - stressor , psychology , posttraumatic stress , clinical psychology
We contrasted in two studies the effects of military trauma on Vietnam veterans who reported high and tow premilitary stress. In the first, we administered the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview (PTSD‐I), a premilitary modification of the Social Readjustment Rating Scale, and the Military Stress Scale to hospitalized veterans. Premilitary stress appeared to reduce the impact of combat on several trauma‐reexperiencing ratings, although the relevant evidence was inconsistent. In the second study, the premilitary stress main effects and the premilitary stress/combat interactions on four PTSD‐I factors were nonsignificant. Thus, the severities of most PTSD symptoms increased with trauma intensity, but not with milder premilitary stress. The inconsistent data on the impact of pretraumatic stress on the trauma severity/PTSD relationships suggest further study.