Trachik Benjamin, Ganulin Michelle L, Dretsch Michael N, Merrill Julie C, Neff Rob, Caserta Ryan, Deagle Edwin, Hoge Charles W, Adler Amy B
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research -West, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, USA; United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM), Natick, MA, USA; RAND, Santa Monica, CA,USA.
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research -West, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, USA.
Psychiatry Res. 2024 Dec;342:116204. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2024.116204. Epub 2024 Sep 17.
Given the large number and diverse types of PTSD symptoms, examination of subtypes within the comprehensive PTSD criteria is necessary. This is especially true for subpopulations of active-duty service members such as specialized military units that undergo assessment and selection, receive extensive training, and have significant operational experience and trauma exposure. The current study identified PTSD subtypes in 16,284 U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel who completed the Preservation of the Force and Family Needs Assessment Survey. Results identified a 4-profile solution. When stratifying the sample by occupation type (Operator vs Support), findings suggest that SOF Support personnel symptom presentations are primarily characterized by dysphoric and negative alterations in cognitions and mood symptoms. In contrast, SOF Operator personnel symptoms are best characterized by traditional profiles, consistent with the existing PTSD subtype literature. Results provide support for pursuing precision medicine approaches based on PTSD symptom profiles.
