title: The relationship between spiritual distress, PTSD and depression in Vietnam combat veterans.
abstract: Presents empirical data showing the relationship between combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and spiritual distress. Uses spiritual injury scale to measure distress; scale measures guilt, anger or resentment, sadness/grief, lack of meaning, feeling God/life has treated one unfairly, religious doubt, and fear of death. Shows high association between spiritual injuries and both PTSD and depression. Also finds inverse relationship between intrinsic religious faith and these two diagnostic categories. An inverse relationship also exists between religious faith as measured by regular worship with a faith community and both depression and PTSD.
authors.affiliation: Chaplain Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center Saint Cloud, MN, USA. garyberg@charter.net
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Berg
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D029181:Spirituality; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*; D014744:Vietnam