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Couple functioning and post‐traumatic stress symptoms in US army couples: The role of resilience
Author(s) -
Melvin Kristal C.,
Gross Deborah,
Hayat Matthew J.,
Jennings Bonnie Mowinski,
Campbell Jacquelyn C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
research in nursing and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1098-240X
pISSN - 0160-6891
DOI - 10.1002/nur.21459
Subject(s) - psychological resilience , psychology , traumatic stress , clinical psychology , coercion (linguistics) , resilience (materials science) , mental health , psychiatry , medicine , social psychology , linguistics , philosophy , physics , thermodynamics
The purpose of this study was to investigate combat‐related post‐traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and couple relationships in Army couples. US Army combat veteran couples ( N = 66 couples) completed self‐report questionnaires on couple functioning, coercion, resilience, and PTSS. In 23% of the couples ( n = 15), both members had PTSS above the clinical cut‐off for suspected Post‐traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Higher levels of PTSS were associated with lower couple functioning and resilience. Individuals with high resilience scores reported higher couple functioning scores, regardless of PTSS ( p = .004). Future researchers should focus on the role of resilience in relation to couple functioning, and ways to amplify resilience in military couples. Published 2011. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Res Nurs Health 35:164–177, 2012