title: Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and functional impairment among OEF and OIF National Guard and Reserve veterans.
abstract: The aims of the present investigation were (a) to examine associations between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; diagnosis and symptoms) and different aspects of functioning, severity, and subjective distress among Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom National Guard and Reserve veterans, and (b) to examine the unique contribution of PTSD symptom clusters to different aspects of functioning and distress. Participants were 124 veterans who had returned from war-zone deployment. A PTSD diagnosis and PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with nearly all of the psychosocial functioning and distress measures, controlling for Axis I disorders and other covariates. Of the PTSD symptom clusters, numbing/avoidance symptoms were the strongest predictors of interpersonal and social functioning, and hyperarousal symptoms were the strongest predictors of overall severity and distress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterans Affairs, Medical Center and Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI 02906, USA. m_shea@brown.edu
authors.forename: M Tracie
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Shea
authors.forename: Anka A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vujanovic
authors.forename: Abigail K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sevin
authors.forename: Fengjuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult