Relative impact of adverse events and screened symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression among active duty soldiers seeking mental health care

Symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress are among the most studied psychological difficulties among soldiers. Such symptoms have been linked to a history of adverse events among both civilians and combat veterans. There is a paucity of research on this topic that can be applied to an active...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of clinical psychology 2007-03, Vol.63 (3), p.199-211
Main Authors: Gahm, Gregory A., Lucenko, Barbara A., Retzlaff, Paul, Fukuda, Seiya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Biological and medical sciences
Depression
Depression - etiology
Female
Forecasting
Humans
Male
Mass Screening
Medical sciences
Mental depression
Mental health care
Military personnel
Military Personnel - psychology
Mood disorders
Outpatients
Patient Acceptance of Health Care
Post traumatic stress disorder
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Risk Factors
Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - etiology
United States
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Summary:Symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress are among the most studied psychological difficulties among soldiers. Such symptoms have been linked to a history of adverse events among both civilians and combat veterans. There is a paucity of research on this topic that can be applied to an active duty clinical population. Intake screening data were reviewed for 1,626 soldiers presenting to an outpatient mental health clinic to identify variables, including history of potentially traumatic experiences, associated with screened symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Demographics such as age, gender, and military rank, as well as number of adverse childhood experiences were significant predictors of screened PTSD and depression. A history of deployment to a combat zone predicted screened PTSD, but not depression. The role of childhood abuse as a risk factor is discussed and highlighted in the etiology of symptoms for soldiers seeking mental health care. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 63: 199–211, 2007.
ISSN:0021-9762
1097-4679
DOI:10.1002/jclp.20330