Abstract
The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of social support and exposure to combat on the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in Vietnam veterans. A second purpose was to examine the influence of premorbid psychological adjustment on PTSD. Questionnaires were mailed to a population of Vietnam veterans, yielding a sample of 52 veterans who were blocked into four groups in a 2 (social support) by 2 (combat level) design. Home interviews were conducted, and comparisons among the groups were made regarding presence of PTSD symptoms, depression, and other psychological disturbance. Results found that veterans who received high social support reported fewer symptoms, and veterans with high combat trauma reported more symptoms. Generally, a significant interaction between social support and combat level was not found. Premorbid functioning was not found to differ among the four groups, suggesting little relationship to PTSD symptoms.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
