Changes in the dynamic network structure of PTSD symptoms pre-to-post combat
| Autor: | Yair Bar-Haim, Eyal Fruchter, Ariel Ben Yehuda, Ilan Wald, Gad Lubin, Daniel S. Pine, Adva Segal, Keren Ginat |
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| Rok vydání: | 2019 |
| Předmět: |
Adult
Male Adolescent Prospective data Combat exposure Article Arousal Cohort Studies Stress Disorders Post-Traumatic Young Adult Intrusion Combat stress reaction Risk Factors Psychological reaction Humans Medicine Longitudinal Studies Prospective Studies Israel Applied Psychology Combat Disorders business.industry Ptsd checklist Armed Conflicts Psychiatry and Mental health Military Personnel Military Deployment Cohort business Clinical psychology |
| Zdroj: | Psychol Med |
| ISSN: | 1469-8978 0033-2917 |
| DOI: | 10.1017/s0033291719000539 |
| Popis: | BackgroundCombat exposure is associated with elevated risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite considerable research on PTSD symptom clustering, it remains unknown how symptoms of PTSD re-organize following combat. Network analysis provides a powerful tool to examine such changes.MethodsA network analysis approach was taken to examine how symptom networks change from pre- to post-combat using longitudinal prospective data from a cohort of infantry male soldiers (Mage = 18.8 years). PTSD symptoms measured using the PTSD Checklist (PCL) were assessed after 6 months of combat training but before deployment and again after 6 months of combat (Ns = 910 and 725 at pre-deployment and post-combat, respectively)ResultsStronger connectivity between PTSD symptoms was observed post-combat relative to pre-deployment (global strength values of the networks were 7.54 pre v. 7.92 post; S = .38, p < 0.05). Both the re-experiencing symptoms cluster (1.92 v. 2.12; S = .20, p < 0.03) and the avoidance symptoms cluster (2.61 v. 2.96; S = .35, p < 0.005) became more strongly inter-correlated post-combat. Centrality estimation analyses revealed that psychological reaction to triggers was central and linked the intrusion and avoidance sub-clusters at post-combat. The strength of associations between the arousal and reactivity symptoms cluster remained stable over time (1.85 v. 1.83; S = .02, p = .92).ConclusionsFollowing combat, PTSD symptoms and particularly the re-experiencing and avoidance clusters become more strongly inter-correlated, indicating high centrality of trigger-reactivity symptoms. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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