Heterogeneity of posttraumatic stress symptomatology and social connectedness in treatment-seeking military veterans: a longitudinal examination.

ABSTRACT: Elucidating whether PTSD symptoms predict poorer social connectedness over time (i.e. social erosion) and/or that poor social connectedness contributes to maintenance of PTSD (i.e. social causation) has implications for PTSD treatment and relapse prevention. Most extant research has been cross-sectional and examined overall PTSD symptoms. Evidence of longitudinal associations among heterogeneous PTSD symptom clusters and social connectedness could provide insight into more nuanced targets for intervention. Using data from 1,491 U.S. military veterans in residential treatment for PTSD at 35 Department of Veterans Affairs facilities, we evaluated a two-wave cross-lagged panel model including a five-factor model of PTSD and two aspects of social connectedness. PTSD, quality of connectedness (

SUBMITTER: Sippel LM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6713134 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature