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

Abstract

SYNOPSISThis 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.