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PTSD symptom increases in Iraq‐deployed soldiers: Comparison with nondeployed soldiers and associations with baseline symptoms, deployment experiences, and postdeployment stress
Author(s) -
Vasterling Jennifer J.,
Proctor Susan P.,
Friedman Matthew J.,
Hoge Charles W.,
Heeren Timothy,
King Lynda A.,
King Daniel W.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20487
Subject(s) - software deployment , stressor , military deployment , active duty , psychiatry , baseline (sea) , posttraumatic stress , military personnel , medicine , psychology , prospective cohort study , clinical psychology , geology , operating system , oceanography , computer science , law , political science
Abstract This prospective study examined: (a) the effects of Iraq War deployment versus non‐deployment on pre‐ to postdeployment change in PTSD symptoms and (b) among deployed soldiers, associations of deployment/postdeployment stress exposures and baseline PTSD symptoms with PTSD symptom change. Seven hundred seventy‐four U.S. Army soldiers completed self‐report measures of stress exposure and PTSD symptom severity before and after Iraq deployment and were compared with 309 soldiers who did not deploy. Deployed soldiers, compared with non‐deployed soldiers, reported increased PTSD symptom severity from Time 1 to Time 2. After controlling for baseline symptoms, deployment‐related stressors contributed to longitudinal increases in PTSD symptoms. Combat severity was more strongly associated with symptom increases among active duty soldiers with higher baseline PTSD symptoms.