title: Coping with Gulf War combat stress: mediating and moderating effects.
abstract: The authors examined relationships between method of coping with combat-related stress and psychological symptoms among Gulf War Army personnel (N = 1,058). Participants were surveyed on return from the Gulf region (Time 1) with the Coping Responses Inventory (R. Moos, 1990) and a measure of combat exposure. Outcomes were symptom measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. At Time 2 (18-24 months) participants completed the same symptom measures and an index of postwar stress. Higher proportions of approach-based coping in the war zone were related to lower levels of psychological symptoms. Combat exposure moderated the effects of coping on Time 1 PTSD. Coping predicted changes in symptoms of depression but not PTSD. Combat exposure affected changes in depression through postwar stress but had a direct negative effect on PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Women's Health Sciences Division, VA Boston Healthcare System, Massachusetts 02130, USA. EJShark@aol.com
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Sharkansky
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Stokes
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008877:Middle East; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D014857:Warfare