Differentiation of the Self and Posttraumatic Symptomatology Among ex‐POWs and Their Wives

War captivity is a highly traumatic experience which sometimes has deleterious effects on both ex‐POWs and their wives. This study examined the relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and differentiation among male ex‐prisoners of war (ex‐POWs; n  = 103), their wives ( n  = 82), and comparable controls. Results show that ex‐POWs and their wives endorsed more PTSD symptoms than controls. Ex‐POWs endorsed more cut‐off and fusion than controls, while their wives endorsed only more fusion than control wives. Finally, the relationship between differentiation and PTSD was found to be stronger among ex‐POW couples than among control couples. The unique characteristics of war captivity and the relationships between avoidance symptoms and cut‐off were suggested as possible explanations .