@article{ref1,
title="A temporal analysis of mental health symptoms relative to separation from the military",
journal="Depression and anxiety",
year="2022",
author="Porter, Ben and Carey, Felicia R. and Roenfeldt, Kimberly A. and Rull, Rudolph P. and Castro, Carl A.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="BACKGROUND: The transition from military to civilian life is a dramatic change that is often stressful for veterans. However, little is known regarding how mental health symptoms fluctuate in the period leading up to and following separation from the military. <br><br>METHODS: The current study examined posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms reported on surveys completed within 1 year of military separation from 23,887 active duty Millennium Cohort Study participants. A series of general linear models and graphs stratified by demographic and military characteristics examined the association between time until/since separation and mental health symptoms. <br><br>RESULTS: Character of discharge had the most striking relationship between time until/since separation and mental health. Personnel with Honorable discharges did not differ in their level of mental health symptoms across the study period. In contrast, personnel with Other than Honorable/General discharges reported normal levels of mental health symptoms 1 year-prior to separation but reported progressively greater symptoms leading to separation which persisted through the remainder of study period. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that additional outreach is needed for personnel with Other than Honorable/General discharges. However, for most other personnel, increased mental health symptomatology around military separation is not a normative phenomenon and any instance should be treated promptly.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1091-4269",
doi="10.1002/da.23246",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.23246"
}