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Deployment characteristics and long‐term PTSD symptoms
Author(s) -
Morissette Sandra B.,
DeBeer Bryann B.,
Kimbrel Nathan A.,
Meyer Eric C.,
Gulliver Suzy B.
Publication year - 2018
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.22535
Subject(s) - software deployment , demographics , posttraumatic stress , term (time) , psychology , psychiatry , dwell time , clinical psychology , demography , physics , quantum mechanics , sociology , computer science , operating system
Objective The impact of number, length, and time between (i.e., “dwell time”) deployments on long‐term Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms was examined in post‐9/11 U.S. veterans. Method This cross‐sectional design includes data from 278 veterans participating in a larger longitudinal research program of postdeployment recovery. Measures included self‐report questionnaires and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale. Results Hierarchical regression was used to evaluate the independent contributions of deployment characteristics on long‐term PTSD symptoms after controlling for demographics and combat exposure. As expected, dwell time was a significant predictor of long‐term PTSD symptoms ( β = − 0.17, p = .042; F 5,108 = 8.21, ∆ R 2 = 0.03, p < .001). Follow‐up analyses indicated that dwell time of less than 12 months was associated with significantly greater long‐term PTSD symptoms than those deployed once or with dwell time greater than 12 months. Conclusion In addition to combat exposure, time between deployments warrants clinical attention as an important deployment characteristic for predicting long‐term PTSD symptoms.