Deployment stressors, gender, and mental health outcomes among Gulf War I veterans.
Findings indicate that war-zone exposure has negative implications for the postdeployment adjustment of veterans; however, most studies have relied on limited conceptualizations of war-zone exposure and focused on male samples. In this study, an array of deployment stressors that were content valid for both female and male Gulf War I military personnel was examined to elucidate gender differences in war-zone exposure and identify gender-based differential associations between stressors and mental health outcomes. While women and men were exposed to both mission-related and interpersonal stressors and both stressor categories were associated with mental health outcomes, women reported more interpersonal stressors and these stressors generally had a stronger impact on women's than on men's mental health. Exceptions are described, and implications are discussed.
Vogt
Dawne S
DS
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 South Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02130, USA. Dawne.Vogt@med.va.gov
Pless
Anica P
AP
King
Lynda A
LA
King
Daniel W
DW
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D018923:Persian Gulf Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*