title: Does mental health stigma change across the deployment cycle?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Prior research on mental health stigma in military personnel has been cross-sectional. We prospectively examined the course of perceived mental health stigma in a cohort of deployed U.S. combat Marines.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 768) were assessed 1 month before a 7-month deployment to Afghanistan, and again at 1, 5, and 8 months postdeployment. We also examined three predictors of the course of stigma: post-traumatic stress disorder symptom severity, vertical and horizontal unit cohesion, and mental health treatment utilization while deployed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceptions of stigma remained largely stable across the deployment cycle, with latent growth curve analyses revealing a statistically significant but small decrease in stigma over time. Lower post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and greater perceived vertical and horizontal support predicted decreases in stigma over time, whereas mental health treatment utilization in theater did not predict the course of stigma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Perceived stigma was low and largely stable over time.
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
authors.forename: Maria M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Steenkamp
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
authors.forename: Alyssa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Boasso
authors.affiliation: Boston VA Research Institute (BVARI), 150 S Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
authors.forename: William P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Nash
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, 150 S Huntington Avenue, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.
authors.forename: Brett T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Litz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D010465:Perception; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D057545:Social Stigma; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult