title: The critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale: initial psychometric properties and association with PTSD, anxiety, and depression.
abstract: The objective of the present research was to develop and evaluate a critical warzone experiences (CWE) scale for use with Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. The psychometric properties of the CWE were evaluated across three independent samples of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans. Despite its brevity (7 items), the CWE exhibited good internal consistency (average α =0.83), good temporal stability (1-year test-retest reliability=0.73), good concurrent validity with lengthier measures of warzone experiences (average r=0.74), and a clear unidimensional factor structure (average factor loading=0.69). Study 2 confirmed the CWE׳s factor structure through confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling demonstrated a strong association between CWE and post-deployment mental health, β =0.49, p<0.001. Study 3 provided further support for the predictive validity of the CWE by demonstrating that it was associated with PTSD diagnosis, clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity, and global functional impairment in an independent sample of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans (average r=0.59). While replication of these findings in more diverse samples is needed, the preliminary evidence from these studies indicates that the CWE is a brief, reliable, and valid measure of critical warzone experiences among Iraq/Afghanistan war veterans.
authors.affiliation: Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC 27705, USA; VA Mid-Atlantic Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Durham, NC, USA. Electronic address: Nathan.Kimbrel@va.gov.
authors.forename: Nathan A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Kimbrel
authors.affiliation: Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA; Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Lianna D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Jackson, MS, USA; South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Little Rock, AR, USA.
authors.forename: Amee B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: University of Mary Washington, Fredericksburg, VA, USA.
authors.forename: Laura C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA; Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA; Warrior Research Institute, Baylor Scott and White, Waco, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Suzy B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Gulliver
authors.affiliation: Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX, USA; Texas A&M Health Science Center, College Station, TX, USA; Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 17 Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans, Waco, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Morissette
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003130:Combat Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Anxiety; Assessment; Combat exposure; Depression; PTSD; Veterans