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Characteristic psychiatric symptomatology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in veterans: a three year follow-up

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Zahava Solomon
Zahava Solomon*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps, Israel
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Zahava Solomon, Research Branch, Mental Health Department, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Forces, Military PO. Box 02149, Israel.
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Synopsis

This study assessed the clinical picture of two groups of Israeli veterans of the Lebanon war: (a) veterans who sustained a combat stress reaction (CSR) (N = 213), and (b) matched controls not so diagnosed (N = 116). Subjects were screened at three points – one, two, and three years after their participation in the war. The results indicated that Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was correlated with a wider range of general psychiatric symptomatology, as measured by the SCL-90. Moreover, among PTSD veterans, those who suffered from an antecedent CSR reported wider and more severe symptomatology. This trend was observed at all three time points. The most salient symptoms were obsessive-compulsive tendencies and anxiety, followed by depression and hostility.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 19 , Issue 4 , November 1989 , pp. 927 - 936
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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