Abstract
Background
The bi-directional relationships between combat-induced posttraumatic symptoms and family relations are yet to be understood.
The present study assesses the longitudinal interrelationship of posttraumatic intrusion and avoidance and family cohesion
among 208 Israeli combat veterans from the 1982 Lebanon War.
The present study assesses the longitudinal interrelationship of posttraumatic intrusion and avoidance and family cohesion
among 208 Israeli combat veterans from the 1982 Lebanon War.
Results
Latent Trajectories Modeling showed that veterans of the CSR group reported higher intrusion and avoidance than non-CSR veterans
at all three points of time. With time, there was a decline in these symptoms in both groups, but the decline was more salient
among the CSR group. The latter also reported lower levels of family cohesion. Furthermore, an incline in family cohesion
levels was found in both groups over the years. Most importantly, Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Modeling among CSR and non-CSR
veterans revealed that CSR veterans’ posttraumatic symptoms in 1983 predicted lower family cohesion in 1985, and lower family
cohesion, in turn, predicted posttraumatic symptoms in 2002.
at all three points of time. With time, there was a decline in these symptoms in both groups, but the decline was more salient
among the CSR group. The latter also reported lower levels of family cohesion. Furthermore, an incline in family cohesion
levels was found in both groups over the years. Most importantly, Autoregressive Cross-Lagged Modeling among CSR and non-CSR
veterans revealed that CSR veterans’ posttraumatic symptoms in 1983 predicted lower family cohesion in 1985, and lower family
cohesion, in turn, predicted posttraumatic symptoms in 2002.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Paper
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s00127-012-0541-6
- Authors
- Gadi Zerach, Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ariel University Center of Samaria, 40700 Ariel, Israel
- Zahava Solomon, The Bob Shappell School of Social Work, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
- Danny Horesh, School of Behavioral Sciences, Peres Academic Center, Rehovot, Israel
- Tsachi Ein-Dor, School of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Center (IDC) Herzliya, P.O. Box 167, 46150 Herzliya, Israel
- Journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Online ISSN 1433-9285
- Print ISSN 0933-7954