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Being a Wife of a Veteran with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder *
Author(s) -
Dekel Rachel,
Goldblatt Hadass,
Keidar Michal,
Solomon Zahava,
Polliack Michael
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
family relations
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1741-3729
pISSN - 0197-6664
DOI - 10.1111/j.0197-6664.2005.00003.x
Subject(s) - wife , psychology , posttraumatic stress , coping (psychology) , clinical psychology , focus group , qualitative research , perception , psychiatry , psychotherapist , sociology , social science , neuroscience , political science , anthropology , law
We present the findings from a qualitative study examining the marital perceptions of 9 wives of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data were from a semistructured in‐depth focus group interview. Findings reveal how the lives of these women largely revolved around their husbands’ illness. The wives faced constant tension between being drawn into a fusion with their husbands and the struggle to maintain their independence. In addition, the wives identified positive aspects of the marital relationship that granted them strength for current and future coping. Implications for practice are included.