Self-Critical Depressive Experience in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Consistent with prior research, 73 hospitalized male Vietnam veterans with combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) reported high scores on Self-criticism as measured by the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire. Self-criticism scores predicted greater severity of PTSD (Mississippi scale) after controlling for symptomatic depression (MMPI-D scale), suggesting that the nature of depression in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder differs from that in major depressive disorder.