Trauma centrality and PTSD in veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Research has demonstrated that the extent to which an individual integrates a traumatic event into their identity ("trauma centrality") positively correlates with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. No research to date has examined trauma centrality in individuals exposed to combat stress. This study investigated trauma centrality using the abridged Centrality of Event Scale (Berntsen & Rubin, 2006) among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veterans (n = 46). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that trauma centrality predicted PTSD symptoms. Trauma centrality and PTSD symptoms remained significantly correlated when controlling for depression in subgroups of veterans with or without probable PTSD. This study replicates and extends findings that placing trauma at the center of one's identity is associated with PTSD symptomatology.

publication date

  • August 1, 2010

Research

keywords

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Afghan Campaign 2001-
  • Combat Disorders
  • Iraq War, 2003-2011
  • Life Change Events
  • Self Concept
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic
  • Veterans

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 78249275211

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1002/jts.20547

PubMed ID

  • 20690194

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 23

issue

  • 4