Citation

Taft CT, Vogt DS, Marshall AD, Panuzio J, Niles BL. J. Trauma. Stress 2007; 20(2): 135-145.

Affiliation

National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130, USA. casey.taft@va.gov

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/jts.20197

PMID

17427912

Abstract

Prior research has revealed heightened aggressive behavior among veterans with PTSD. This study tested a model examining the interrelationships among combat exposure, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, dysphoric symptoms, and anxiety symptoms in predicting aggressive behavior in a sample of 265 male combat veterans seeking diagnostic assessment of PTSD. Combat exposure was indirectly associated with aggression primarily through its relationship with PTSD symptoms. Symptoms of PTSD were directly related to aggression, and indirectly related to aggression through dysphoric symptoms. Results highlight the role of PTSD symptoms and dysphoric symptoms with respect to aggressive behavior among this population, and suggest the relevance of aggression theory to the study of combat veterans.

Language: en