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Benefit Finding at War: A Matter of Time
Author(s) -
Wood Michael D.,
Britt Thomas W.,
Wright Kathleen M.,
Thomas Jeffrey L.,
Bliese Paul D.
Publication year - 2012
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.21701
Subject(s) - software deployment , posttraumatic stress , coping (psychology) , psychology , mental health , military personnel , psychiatry , warrant , military deployment , clinical psychology , medicine , computer science , political science , financial economics , law , economics , operating system
Benefit finding, described as one's ability to find benefits from stressful situations, has been hypothesized as a buffer against the negative effects of stress on mental health outcomes. Nonetheless, many have questioned the buffering potential of benefit finding in the face of prolonged and excessive stress such as is found in the combat environment. This study suggests that the length of a combat deployment and benefit finding may impact the relationship between combat exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Surveys were distributed to U.S. enlisted soldiers ( n = 1,917), officers, and warrant officers ( n = 163) of various combat and combat support units deployed to Iraq. A significant 3‐way interaction (s r 2 = .004, p < .05) revealed that benefit finding buffered soldiers from increased PTSD symptoms under high levels of combat exposure early in the deployment, but not in later months. These results indicate that although benefit finding may be a useful coping approach during the early phases of deployment, prolonged exposure to stress may diminish a soldier's ability to use benefit finding as a method for coping.