Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in Korean conflict and World War II combat veterans seeking outpatient treatment.

Given important differences in the Korean conflict and World War II, samples of treatment-seeking combat veterans from these wars (30 Korea, 83 World War II) were compared on the prevalence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With age, ethnicity, and combat exposure taken into account, the Korean veterans reported significantly more severe symptoms on both interview and self-report PTSD measures. Group differences in the prevalence of current PTSD were in a similar direction but not significant. These results are generally consistent with other studies that have found Korean combat veterans to exhibit higher rates of psychosocial maladjustment than World War II combat veterans. Based on related research with Vietnam veterans, one direction for future investigation is to examine what role stressful postmilitary homecoming experiences may have played in influencing the development and course of combat-related PTSD in the aging cohort of "forgotten" Korean conflict veterans.

Examining comorbidity and posttraumatic stress disorder in a Vietnam veteran population using the MMPI-2.

Examined the discriminant validity of the MMPI-2 in assessing comorbidity in a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Vietnam veteran population. The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-III-R (SCID) was used to diagnose veterans and to classify them into four groups: PTSD Only, PTSD with mood disorders, PTSD with other anxiety disorders, and PTSD with mood and anxiety disorders. All groups had clinical elevations on scales F, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 0, PK, and PS, with peak elevations on scales 8, 7, and 2. The PTSD Only group's MMPI-2 scores were not significantly lower than other groups' scores. The PTSD+Mood/Anxiety group was significantly more elevated on scales 2 and 7 than the PTSD Only and PTSD+Anxiety group but did not otherwise show significantly higher scale elevations than others groups. No significant differences existed between groups on scales F, L, K, PK, and PS. Implications of these results for PTSD and the current diagnostic system are explored.

Self-critical depressive experience in posttraumatic stress disorder.

Consistent with prior research, 73 hospitalized male Vietnam veterans with combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) reported high scores on Self-criticism as measured by the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire. Self-criticism scores predicted greater severity of PTSD (Mississippi scale) after controlling for symptomatic depression (MMPI-D scale), suggesting that the nature of depression in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder differs from that in major depressive disorder.

MMPI profiles in PTSD as a function of comorbidity.

A sample of 135 Vietnam veteran inpatients with combat-related PTSD was sorted into three groups, depending upon the presence of concurrent psychiatric disorders: Depression (n = 68), Psychosis (n = 31), and Other (n = 36). Pairwise comparisons were made on the MMPI with respect to the validity indicators, clinical scales, four relevant Harris-Lingoes subscales, the Psychoticism content scale, and the MMPI-PTSD subscale. Results indicate variations in scale elevations as a function of comorbid diagnosis. Various items and scales appear to differentiate the Psychosis group due to greater psychopathology. In general, the results spotlight the heterogeneous aspects that comorbidity brings to PTSD assessment.

A comparison of MMPI and MMPI-2 in PTSD assessment.

A sample of 47 Vietnam veterans with the diagnosis of combat-related Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was administered the MMPI and MMPI-2. Pairwise comparisons were performed on the clinical scales, Harris Lingoes subscales, and scales relevant to the assessment of PTSD. Correlational analyses were performed as well. Hit rates of high-point pairs were compared across the tests. The results suggest a high degree of congruence between tests. Differences were seen on evaluations of some scales between tests that may influence interpretation and treatment.

Dissociative experiences of Vietnam veterans with chronic posttraumatic stress disorder.

Interest in dissociation has been renewed, and its relationship to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is especially intriguing. In this study 57 consecutively admitted chronic, combat-related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder sufferers were grouped by scores on a dissociative scale (Dissociative Experiences Scale). The three groups (high, medium, and low) were compared on personality measures (MMPI basic scales and subscales, and Millon's MCMI), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder measures, and a psychophysiological index of heart rate under baseline trauma conditions. The results showed that the survivors with more dissociative experiences show distinctive and higher symptom levels--excessive fearfulness, symptoms of strange experiences, and high tonic psychophysiological states--as well as greater severity of ratings of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (on the Mississippi Scale). The discussion addressed the possible role of dissociation in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

NEO-PI profiles in PTSD as a function of trauma level.

One hundred Vietnam veterans with combat-related PTSD were administered the NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI) and the Combat Exposure Scale and were sorted into three groups based on trauma exposure level. Results indicate no significant differences among the personality profiles of the three trauma-exposed groups. A normative NEO-PI profile for persons diagnosed with combat-related PTSD is presented, characterized by an extremely high Neuroticism score (T > 75) and an extremely low Agreeableness score (T < 25).

Negative parenting behavior, combat exposure, and PTSD symptom severity. Test of a person-event interaction model.

The "personal characteristics" and "extreme event" hypotheses have been proposed as alternative explanations for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among combat veterans. The person-event interaction model attempts to integrate both perspectives by hypothesizing that premilitary individual vulnerability characteristics play a greater role in influencing risk of PTSD or PTSD symptom severity at lower than at higher levels of exposure to traumatic combat stressors. Focusing on a sample of 57 Vietnam veterans undergoing inpatient treatment for diagnosed PTSD, we assessed this model by examining interactions between negative parenting behaviors in childhood (e.g., inconsistent love) and degree of combat exposure in predicting PTSD symptom severity. Hierarchical regression analyses supported the model, indicating that the father's negative parenting behaviors were more predictive of PTSD symptom severity at relatively lower levels of combat exposure. Implications of the findings for further research on multivariate, interactional models of PTSD etiology among Vietnam combat veterans are discussed.

A comparison among some measures of depression in male alcoholics.

The efficacy of three depression scales--the Dysthymic scale of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory, the Beck Depression Inventory and the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)--in assessing depressive symptoms in 67 male alcoholic patients was compared. The criterion of depression was the patient's score on the Depression scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. In addition, the effects of age on the test results were explored as it was believed that the GDS would be less affected by age than the other two scales. The findings disclosed that all three depression scales are comparable in assessing depressive symptoms and that age is not a factor in any of the scales.

Irrational ideas. Older vs. younger inpatients.

The relationship to age of irrational beliefs among psychiatric inpatients has not been explored using the rational-emotive model. This study addressed the following two questions: 1) Do older and younger psychiatric inpatients differ in irrational beliefs? 2) Do older depressives differ from older nondepressives in irrational beliefs? Upon admission to a large medical center, 58 younger (less than 45 years old) and 54 older (greater than 55 years old) subjects were assessed on a battery of psychological tests, including the Idea Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Results showed that older and younger inpatients did not differ on irrational beliefs. Results also showed that older and younger groups of depressives did not differ on the irrationality scores. When a correlational analysis was used, depression was related to irrationality within the older group but not within the younger group.

Older alcoholics: profile of decline.

Administered to 235 chronic alcoholics in an inpatient setting a standard psychological test battery 2 weeks after admission. Two analyses were calculated: A correlational analysis between age and the test variables and a comparison analysis between a younger (less than 50) and an older group. Results suggest that visual-spatial and constructional tasks, newer learning tasks, and secondary memory (and memory delay) show a more pronounced decline than do verbal or "left hemisphere" tasks. A sub-analysis of 30 younger and 30 older psychiatric patients further revealed that alcohol asserts a significant influence on decline in complex abstract tasks and on visual-spatial tasks (age is also a significant factor on visual-spatial tasks). This study re-validated previous findings using a more chronic alcohol population with standard psychological tests in a clinical setting.

Demographic and clinical characteristics as predictors of readmission: a one-year follow-up.

Follows up an earlier investigation in which demographic and clinical characteristics of psychiatric patients were used to predict readmission within 3 months of discharge. In the initial study, stepwise multiple regression analysis identified six variables as the optimal set of predictors for readmission within 3 months of discharge: type of discharge, number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations, race, suicide attempt within 1 month of admission, subjective report of depression upon admission, and occupational level (R = .452). In the present study the same sample was followed up at 1 year after discharge, and demographic and clinical variables were used to predict readmission within 1 year of discharge. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified three variables as the optimal set of predictors for readmission within 1 year of discharge: past history of suicidal behavior, subjective report of depression upon admission, and number of prior psychiatric hospitalizations. Changes in predictors as a function of length of follow-up period are considered, and implications of the findings for identifying high-risk readmission candidates are discussed.