Hayes Jeanne, Wakefield Bonnie, Andresen Elena M, Scherrer Jeffrey, Traylor Laural, Wiegmann Peter, Demark Thomas, Desouza Cherilyn
Kansas City VA Medical Center, 4801 Linwood Blvd, Kansas City, MO 64128, USA.
J Rehabil Res Dev. 2010;47(9):825-40. doi: 10.1682/jrrd.2009.04.0049.
Family members play an important role in the physical and mental recovery of soldiers returning from Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been associated with strained marital and family relations and parenting difficulties, and many veterans with PTSD experience difficulty finding and maintaining employment. Family members who assist with the veteran's recovery also experience significant strain and may have to leave employment to care for the veteran. Our objective was to identify appropriate assessment measures for examining the well-being of spouses assisting with veterans' recovery and to identify opportunities for supporting veterans' spouses. We used a combination of expert panel input and qualitative methods (focus group interviews) to develop a battery of instruments for use in future research with OIF/OEF family members to examine well-being. Research is needed to elucidate and refine the special needs and issues surrounding PTSD in current and future OIF/OEF veterans and their families. This study provides a first step toward understanding appropriate measures. Expert panel methods and focus group interviews yielded valuable input on the domains and measures that should be included in the assessment battery as well as opportunities for assisting spouses.
家庭成员在从伊拉克自由行动（OIF）和持久自由行动（OEF）归来的士兵的身心康复过程中发挥着重要作用。创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）与紧张的婚姻和家庭关系以及育儿困难有关，许多患有创伤后应激障碍的退伍军人在寻找和维持工作方面存在困难。协助退伍军人康复的家庭成员也承受着巨大压力，可能不得不离职去照顾退伍军人。我们的目标是确定用于检查协助退伍军人康复的配偶福祉的合适评估措施，并确定支持退伍军人配偶的机会。我们结合专家小组意见和定性方法（焦点小组访谈），开发了一套工具，用于未来对参与OIF/OEF行动的家庭成员进行研究，以检查其福祉。需要开展研究，以阐明和完善当前及未来参与OIF/OEF行动的退伍军人及其家庭中与创伤后应激障碍相关的特殊需求和问题。本研究为理解合适的措施迈出了第一步。专家小组方法和焦点小组访谈就评估工具应包含的领域和措施以及协助配偶的机会提供了宝贵意见。
