A longitudinal analysis of PTSD symptom course: delayed-onset PTSD in Somalia peacekeepers.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) typically follows an acute to chronic course. However, some trauma victims do not report significant symptoms until a period of time has elapsed after the event. Although originally dismissed as an artifact of retrospective methodologies, recent prospective studies document apparent instances of delayed-onset PTSD. Little is known currently about factors associated with the delayed onset of PTSD. This study was designed to examine the course of PTSD in a sample of 1,040 U.S. military peacekeepers who served in Somalia. A small but nontrivial subset of participants endorsed clinically significant levels of PTSD after a period of minimal distress, the magnitude of which cannot be ascribed to minor waxing and waning of symptoms. War-zone exposure and perceived meaningfulness of the mission, as rated by soldiers after returning to the United States, predicted symptom course over the next 18 months.
Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA. gray@uwyo.edu.
Matt J
MJ
Gray
Elisa E
EE
Bolton
Brett T
BT
Litz
D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D018635:Rescue Work; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012998:Somalia; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology