TY - JOUR
T1 - Psychological distress and burden among female partners of combat veterans with PTSD
AU - Manguno-Mire, Gina
AU - Sautter, Frederic
AU - Lyons, Judith
AU - Myers, Leann
AU - Perry, Dana
AU - Sherman, Michelle
AU - Glynn, Shirley
AU - Sullivan, Greer
PY - 2007/2/1
Y1 - 2007/2/1
N2 - Psychological distress among cohabitating female partners of combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined in a cross-sectional study using a modified version of the Health Belief Model. A convenience sample of 89 cohabitating female partners of male veterans in outpatient PTSD treatment was interviewed by telephone using a structured interview. Partners endorsed high levels of psychological distress with elevations on clinical scales at or exceeding the 90th percentile. Severe levels of overall psychological distress, depression, and suicidal ideation were prevalent among partners. Multivariate analyses revealed that perceived threat, recent mental health treatment, and level of involvement with veterans predicted global partner psychological distress. Partner burden was predicted by partner self-efficacy, perceived threat, barriers to mental health treatment, and partner treatment engagement. These findings are compelling since they demonstrate that partners of veterans with combat-related PTSD experience significant levels of emotional distress that warrant clinical attention. Psychological distress and partner burden were each associated with a unique combination of predictors, suggesting that although these constructs are related, they have distinct correlates and potentially different implications within the family environment. Future research should examine these constructs separately using causal modeling analyses to identify modifiable targets for interventions to reduce psychological distress among partners of individuals with PTSD.
AB - Psychological distress among cohabitating female partners of combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was examined in a cross-sectional study using a modified version of the Health Belief Model. A convenience sample of 89 cohabitating female partners of male veterans in outpatient PTSD treatment was interviewed by telephone using a structured interview. Partners endorsed high levels of psychological distress with elevations on clinical scales at or exceeding the 90th percentile. Severe levels of overall psychological distress, depression, and suicidal ideation were prevalent among partners. Multivariate analyses revealed that perceived threat, recent mental health treatment, and level of involvement with veterans predicted global partner psychological distress. Partner burden was predicted by partner self-efficacy, perceived threat, barriers to mental health treatment, and partner treatment engagement. These findings are compelling since they demonstrate that partners of veterans with combat-related PTSD experience significant levels of emotional distress that warrant clinical attention. Psychological distress and partner burden were each associated with a unique combination of predictors, suggesting that although these constructs are related, they have distinct correlates and potentially different implications within the family environment. Future research should examine these constructs separately using causal modeling analyses to identify modifiable targets for interventions to reduce psychological distress among partners of individuals with PTSD.
KW - Family factors
KW - Marital relationships
KW - PTSD
KW - Partner burden
KW - Psychological distress
KW - Spouses
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33847075426&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33847075426&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/01.nmd.0000254755.53549.69
DO - 10.1097/01.nmd.0000254755.53549.69
M3 - Article
C2 - 17299302
AN - SCOPUS:33847075426
SN - 0022-3018
VL - 195
SP - 144
EP - 151
JO - Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
JF - Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease
IS - 2
ER -