TITLE:
Effects of Developmental Abuse and Symptom Suppression among Traumatized Veterans
AUTHORS:
John J. Whelan
KEYWORDS:
Military PTSD, Childhood Abuse, Trauma Treatment, Group Therapy, Complex Trauma
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.6 No.5,
April
8,
2015
ABSTRACT: While much of the research on military posttraumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) focuses on warzone reactions, a burgeoning literature highlights complex
relationships between childhood adversity and adult-onset PTSD. However,
conceptual efforts to delineate the effects of childhood abuse on treatment
trajectories for traumatized military veterans are lacking. This study compared
trauma and psychological symptom profiles for developmentally abused and
non-abused Canadian Forces (CF) veterans (N = 108) diagnosed with operational
PTSD. Subscale scores from the Detailed Assessment of PTSD Scale (DAPS) and the
Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) were submitted to MANOVA. The analysis
resulted in a composite variable reflecting’ symptom suppression efforts’ that
separated abused veterans (n = 55) from non-abused veterans (n = 53). Post hoc
analyses showed significant differences between the abused sub-groups (i.e.,
physical and sexual abuse [n = 15]; physical abuse only [n = 17]; sexual abuse
only [n = 23]) and the non-abused group. Veterans with abuse histories had
higher symptom suppression scores, reflecting higher levels of substance abuse,
post-traumatic dissociation, interpersonal mistrust, as well as, lower
depression and PTSD impairment scores. Implications for clinicians and an
alternative intervention for treating traumatized military personnel with
histories of developmental abuse are discussed.