TY - JOUR
T1 - The Contribution of Maladaptive Personality Traits to PTSD and Depression Symptoms Among Israeli Female Veterans
AU - Zerach, Gadi
AU - Tov, Ehud Shem
AU - Shati, Sharon
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 American Psychological Association
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Objective: Exposure to potentially traumatic events during military service is associated with mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. However, knowledge regarding the implications of maladaptive personality traits in psychopathology among female veterans is sparse. The present study aims to use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition—an alternative model of personality disorder, to examine associations between maladaptive personality traits, PTSD and depression symptoms, among female Israeli veterans. Method: A volunteer sample of female Israeli combat veterans (n = 616) and noncombat veterans (n = 484) responded to self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional study. Results: Combat veterans reported higher levels of combat exposure and PTSD symptoms, but not depressive symptoms, than noncombat veterans. Combat veterans also reported lower levels of negative affectivity but higher levels of disinhibition than noncombat veterans. All five traits were positive predictors of PTSD and depression symptoms, with psychoticism constituting the strongest predictor. A moderated-mediation analysis indicated four traits (negative affectivity, detachment, disinhibition, and psychoticism) that had a moderating effect on the relationship between combat exposure and PTSD symptoms, and two of the traits (antagonism and disinhibition) that had a moderate effect on the relationship between combat exposure and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Maladaptive personality traits play an important role in psychological distress following female veterans’ combat service. Future prospective research is necessary to determine the temporal associations between preenlistment maladaptive personality traits and postdeployment mental health of veterans.
AB - Objective: Exposure to potentially traumatic events during military service is associated with mental health problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. However, knowledge regarding the implications of maladaptive personality traits in psychopathology among female veterans is sparse. The present study aims to use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition—an alternative model of personality disorder, to examine associations between maladaptive personality traits, PTSD and depression symptoms, among female Israeli veterans. Method: A volunteer sample of female Israeli combat veterans (n = 616) and noncombat veterans (n = 484) responded to self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional study. Results: Combat veterans reported higher levels of combat exposure and PTSD symptoms, but not depressive symptoms, than noncombat veterans. Combat veterans also reported lower levels of negative affectivity but higher levels of disinhibition than noncombat veterans. All five traits were positive predictors of PTSD and depression symptoms, with psychoticism constituting the strongest predictor. A moderated-mediation analysis indicated four traits (negative affectivity, detachment, disinhibition, and psychoticism) that had a moderating effect on the relationship between combat exposure and PTSD symptoms, and two of the traits (antagonism and disinhibition) that had a moderate effect on the relationship between combat exposure and depressive symptoms. Conclusions: Maladaptive personality traits play an important role in psychological distress following female veterans’ combat service. Future prospective research is necessary to determine the temporal associations between preenlistment maladaptive personality traits and postdeployment mental health of veterans.
KW - combat
KW - depression
KW - female veterans
KW - maladaptive personality traits
KW - posttraumatic stress disorder
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85204484945&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001779
DO - https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001779
M3 - مقالة
SN - 1942-9681
JO - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
JF - Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
ER -