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The Vietnam veteran on wal: The relation of post‐traumatic stress disorder to criminal behavior
Author(s) -
Wilson John P.,
Zigelbaum Sheldon D.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/bsl.2370010308
Subject(s) - stressor , outreach , psychology , traumatic stress , commit , vietnam war , criminal behavior , clinical psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , political science , database , computer science , law
The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize the relationship of Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Vietnam veterans to criminal behavior. A conceptual framework is discussed which proposes that the disposition to criminal behavior is determined by whether or not the veteran enters into the survivor mode of functioning as a behavioral defense mechanism against the disorder. It is hypothesized that there exists a relationship between the severity of PTSD and the tendency to commit illegal acts. The Vietnam Era Stress Inventory (Wilson and Krauss, 1980) was used to assess PTSD among a volunteer national sample of Vietnam combat veterans (N = 114) participating in the Veterans Administration's counseling program known as Operation Outreach. The results strongly supported the hypothesis and indicated that combat role variables, exposure to stressors in Vietnam and the severity of PTSD were significantly correlated with criminal acts.