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The association between deployment‐related posttraumatic growth among U.S. army soldiers and negative behavioral health conditions
Author(s) -
Gallaway M. Shayne,
Millikan Amy M.,
Bell Michael R.
Publication year - 2011
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/jclp.20837
Subject(s) - posttraumatic growth , suicidal ideation , software deployment , psychology , clinical psychology , military deployment , military personnel , demographics , association (psychology) , psychiatry , suicide prevention , poison control , medicine , demography , medical emergency , psychotherapist , law , political science , operating system , sociology , computer science
Objectives : This study assessed posttraumatic growth (PTG) in a sample of U.S. Army Soldiers using the Post‐Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), and the relationship between PTG and negative behavioral health (BH) conditions. Design : A sample of Soldiers with prior combat deployment experience ( n = 1,834) completed an anonymous survey including demographics, the PTGI, and negative BH conditions. Results : Among previously deployed Soldiers, those reporting the highest number of combat experiences also reported significantly higher overall PTG. A significant inverse relationship was observed between PTG and recent suicidal ideation, whereby Soldiers reporting recent suicidal ideation reported significantly lower overall PTG. Conclusions : This study quantified PTG resulting from deployment and demonstrated the degree to which combat experiences might result in PTG. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 67:1–10, 2011.