National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Resilience Laboratory, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
J Affect Disord. 2010 Oct;126(1-2):230-5. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2010.03.021.
A growing body of research has examined the prevalence and correlates of psychopathology, mild traumatic brain injury, and related problems in Veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF-OIF). While these studies help characterize the deleterious effects of combat, no known study has examined factors that may enhance posttraumatic growth or positive changes experienced as a result of combat in this population.
A total of 272 predominantly older Reservist/National Guard OEF-OIF Veterans completed an anonymous mail survey that assessed combat exposure, psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, social support, and posttraumatic growth.
Seventy-two percent of the sample endorsed a significant degree of posttraumatic growth in at least one of the areas assessed, the most common of which were changing priorities about what is important in life (52.2%), being able to better appreciate each day (51.1%), and being better able to handle difficulties (48.5%). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that younger age, greater posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and increased perceptions of unit member support and effort/perseverance were significantly associated with posttraumatic growth. Respondents with PTSD scored higher on an overall measure of posttraumatic growth and on items reflecting appreciation of life and personal strength.
This study is limited by a relatively low survey return rate and employment of an abbreviated measure of posttraumatic growth.
Results of this study suggest that interventions to bolster unit member support and to enhance perceptions of effort and perseverance may help promote posttraumatic growth in OEF-OIF Veterans.
越来越多的研究考察了持久自由行动和伊拉克自由行动（OEF-OIF）退伍军人的精神病理学、轻度创伤性脑损伤和相关问题的流行率和相关性。虽然这些研究有助于描述战斗的有害影响，但目前还没有研究探讨可能增强创伤后成长或由于战斗而导致的积极变化的因素。
共有 272 名主要是年龄较大的预备役/国民警卫队 OEF-OIF 退伍军人完成了一项匿名邮件调查，该调查评估了战斗暴露、精神病理学、心理社会功能、社会支持和创伤后成长。
72%的样本在至少一个评估领域表示有显著程度的创伤后成长，其中最常见的是改变生活中重要事物的优先顺序（52.2%）、更好地欣赏每一天（51.1%）以及更好地应对困难（48.5%）。层次回归分析显示，年龄较小、创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）症状更严重、以及增加对单位成员支持以及努力/毅力的看法与创伤后成长显著相关。患有 PTSD 的受访者在创伤后成长的总体衡量标准以及反映对生活和个人力量的欣赏的项目上得分更高。
本研究受到相对较低的调查回复率和创伤后成长简短衡量标准的限制。
这项研究的结果表明，加强单位成员支持以及增强努力和毅力的看法的干预措施可能有助于促进 OEF-OIF 退伍军人的创伤后成长。
