Malaktaris Anne L, Buzzella Brian A, Siegel Maya E, Myers Ursula S, Browne Kendall C, Norman Sonya B, Angkaw Abigail C
VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, San Diego, CA.
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA.
Mil Med. 2019 Mar 1;184(3-4):e263-e270. doi: 10.1093/milmed/usy231.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has been linked to a variety of adverse mental and physical health outcomes including distressed relationships. Involving romantic partners in PTSD treatment appears to be a promising new avenue for PTSD treatment; however, additional research is necessary to clarify veteran preferences for inclusion of significant others in treatment and relationship characteristics that may influence such preferences. Accordingly, the present study was designed to evaluate Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) veterans' desire to include romantic partners in trauma-focused care (n = 74) and to explore psychological and relationship variables associated with preference for partner inclusion in PTSD treatment.
This study surveyed male (N = 74) OEF/OIF/OND combat veterans seeking mental health services at a Veterans Health Administration PTSD treatment program. Relationships between PTSD symptoms, romantic relationship functioning, and interest in including their romantic partner in PTSD treatment were examined.
Consistent with previous research, OEF/OIF/OND veterans seeking treatment at a specialty PTSD program report low relationship satisfaction. The majority of participants reported that PTSD symptoms interfere with relationship functioning; specifically, numbing symptoms were a significant predictor of PTSD-related relationship impairment. A minority (26%) of participants reported a desire to include their romantic partner in PTSD treatment. Greater behavioral avoidance and communication difficulties were associated with increased interest in including a romantic partner in PTSD treatment.
We confirmed that OEF/OIF/OND veterans seeking PTSD treatment experience PTSD-related problems in romantic relationships, low-relationship satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction was positively associated with perceived communication and problem-solving skills. A minority of veterans were interested in involving significant others in their PTSD treatment; however, in the present study, veterans were not given information about the various ways that a romantic partner might be involved in treatment, and they were not presented with specific conjoint therapies (e.g., Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD, Strategic Approach Therapy). For veterans with PTSD, relationship distress, and communication difficulties, conjoint psychotherapies may offer a way of increasing engagement in PTSD treatment by parsimoniously addressing multiple treatment targets at once (PTSD symptoms, relationship distress, communication problems) and providing veteran-centered care.
创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）与多种不良的心理和身体健康结果相关，包括关系困扰。让浪漫伴侣参与PTSD治疗似乎是一种有前景的PTSD治疗新途径；然而，需要更多研究来明确退伍军人对于让重要他人参与治疗的偏好以及可能影响此类偏好的关系特征。因此，本研究旨在评估持久自由行动/伊拉克自由行动/新黎明行动（OEF/OIF/OND）退伍军人让浪漫伴侣参与创伤聚焦治疗的意愿（n = 74），并探索与PTSD治疗中偏好伴侣参与相关的心理和关系变量。
本研究对在退伍军人健康管理局PTSD治疗项目中寻求心理健康服务的男性（N = 74）OEF/OIF/OND参战退伍军人进行了调查。研究了PTSD症状、浪漫关系功能以及让浪漫伴侣参与PTSD治疗的兴趣之间的关系。
与先前研究一致，在专业PTSD项目中寻求治疗的OEF/OIF/OND退伍军人报告关系满意度较低。大多数参与者报告PTSD症状会干扰关系功能；具体而言，麻木症状是PTSD相关关系受损的重要预测因素。少数（26%）参与者报告希望让浪漫伴侣参与PTSD治疗。更高的行为回避和沟通困难与让浪漫伴侣参与PTSD治疗的兴趣增加相关。
我们证实，寻求PTSD治疗的OEF/OIF/OND退伍军人在浪漫关系中经历与PTSD相关的问题、关系满意度较低，且关系满意度与感知的沟通和解决问题能力呈正相关。少数退伍军人有兴趣让重要他人参与他们的PTSD治疗；然而，在本研究中，退伍军人未获得关于浪漫伴侣可能参与治疗的各种方式的信息，也未接触到具体的联合治疗方法（例如，PTSD认知行为联合疗法、战略方法疗法）。对于患有PTSD、关系困扰和沟通困难的退伍军人，联合心理治疗可能提供一种通过一次简洁地解决多个治疗目标（PTSD症状、关系困扰、沟通问题）并提供以退伍军人为中心的护理来提高PTSD治疗参与度的方法。
