Abstract
Purpose Previous research has identified social support to be associated with risk of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among military personnel. While the lack of social support influences PTSD symptomatology, it is unknown how changes in perceived social support affect the PTSD symptom level in the aftermath of deployment. Furthermore, the influence of specific sources of social support from pre- to post-deployment on level of PTSD symptoms is unknown. We aim to examine how changes in perceived social support (overall and from specific sources) from pre- to 2.5 year post-deployment are associated with the level of post-deployment PTSD symptoms.MethodsDanish army military personnel deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and 2013 completed questionnaires at pre-deployment and at 2.5 year post-deployment measuring perceived social support and PTSD symptomatology and sample characteristics of the two cohorts. Data were analyzed using univariate and multivariate nominal logistic regression.ResultsNegative changes in perceived social support from pre- to post-deployment were associated with both moderate (OR 1.99, CI 1.51–2.57) and high levels (OR 2.71, CI 1.94–3.78) of PTSD symptoms 2.5 year post-deployment (adjusted analysis). Broadly, the same direction was found for specific sources of social support and level of PTSD symptoms. In the adjusted analyses, pre-deployment perceived social support and military rank moderated the associations.ConclusionsDeterioration in perceived social support (overall and specific sources) from pre- to 2.5 year post-deployment increases the risk of an elevated level of PTSD symptoms 2.5 year post-deployment.
Highlights
Social support plays a role in the emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development and maintenance [1]
We examined how pre-deployment perceived social support, overall as well as from specific sources, and changes in the support from preto post-deployment were associated with the level of PTSD symptoms 2.5 year post-deployment
We found support for the notion that the association between social support and PTSD symptoms is complex and that changes in social support over time, more than pre-deployment social support, help explain the risk of post-deployment PTSD symptoms when declines in social support emerge
Summary
Social support plays a role in the emotional, cognitive and behavioral aspects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development and maintenance [1]. In a military context, King et al (2006) found severity of PTSD symptoms influenced the level of perceived social support among veterans deployed to the Gulf War (1990–1991) [10]. Military studies in a Danish context have examined social support and PTSD symptomatology [13,14,15]. Among Danish military personnel deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, perceived social support (pre-deployment and 1–3 week post-deployment) was not associated with the levels of PTSD symptoms pre-deployment or immediately after deployment [13]. This lack of association between pre-deployment perceived social support and post-deployment PTSD symptoms in a Danish military context may be explained by changes in social support from pre- to post-deployment
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