1
|
Campbell-Sills L, Kautz JD, Ray C, Lester PB, Choi KW, Naifeh JA, Aliaga PA, Kessler RC, Stein MB, Ursano RJ, Bliese PD. Associations of active-duty mental health trajectories with post-military adjustment: Results from the STARRS Longitudinal Study. J Affect Disord 2023; 340:535-541. [PMID: 37553016 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many servicemembers experience difficulties transitioning from military to civilian life. We examined whether changes in mental health observed during active duty were associated with indices of post-military adjustment. METHODS Survey data from the multi-wave Army STARRS Pre/Post Deployment Study (PPDS; conducted 2012-2014) were linked to follow-up data from wave 1 of the STARRS Longitudinal Study (STARRS-LS1; conducted 2016-2018). Empirical Bayes estimates of intercepts and slopes of posttraumatic stress, problematic anger, and depressive symptoms during the PPDS were extracted from mixed-effects growth models and evaluated as predictors of life stress among 1080 participants who had separated or retired from the Army at STARRS-LS1; and of job satisfaction among 586 veterans who were employed at STARRS-LS1. RESULTS Higher average levels and larger increases in posttraumatic stress, anger, and depression over the deployment period were each associated with increased stress and (in the case of anger and depression) reduced job satisfaction. Posttraumatic stress and anger slopes were associated with overall stress (b = 5.60, p < 0.01 and b = 15.64, p = 0.04, respectively) and relationship stress (b = 5.50, p = 0.01 and b = 22.86, p = 0.01, respectively) beyond the average levels of those symptoms. LIMITATIONS Some transition-related difficulties may have resolved before outcome assessment; some measures were not previously validated. CONCLUSIONS Larger increases in posttraumatic stress and anger over a deployment period were associated with increased stress after leaving the Army, even after controlling for average symptom levels during the same period. Monitoring changes in mental health during active duty may help identify personnel who need additional support to facilitate the military-to-civilian transition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Campbell-Sills
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Jason D Kautz
- Department of Organizations, Strategy, and International Management, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Caitlin Ray
- School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Paul B Lester
- Graduate School of Defense Management, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, USA
| | - Karmel W Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA; Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James A Naifeh
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pablo A Aliaga
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA; Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ronald C Kessler
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murray B Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA; Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert J Ursano
- Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paul D Bliese
- Department of Management, Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Campbell-Sills L, Kautz JD, Choi KW, Naifeh JA, Aliaga PA, Jain S, Sun X, Kessler RC, Stein MB, Ursano RJ, Bliese PD. Effects of prior deployments and perceived resilience on anger trajectories of combat-deployed soldiers. Psychol Med 2023; 53:2031-2040. [PMID: 34802475 PMCID: PMC9124235 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291721003779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Problematic anger is frequently reported by soldiers who have deployed to combat zones. However, evidence is lacking with respect to how anger changes over a deployment cycle, and which factors prospectively influence change in anger among combat-deployed soldiers. METHODS Reports of problematic anger were obtained from 7298 US Army soldiers who deployed to Afghanistan in 2012. A series of mixed-effects growth models estimated linear trajectories of anger over a period of 1-2 months before deployment to 9 months post-deployment, and evaluated the effects of pre-deployment factors (prior deployments and perceived resilience) on average levels and growth of problematic anger. RESULTS A model with random intercepts and slopes provided the best fit, indicating heterogeneity in soldiers' levels and trajectories of anger. First-time deployers reported the lowest anger overall, but the most growth in anger over time. Soldiers with multiple prior deployments displayed the highest anger overall, which remained relatively stable over time. Higher pre-deployment resilience was associated with lower reports of anger, but its protective effect diminished over time. First- and second-time deployers reporting low resilience displayed different anger trajectories (stable v. decreasing, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Change in anger from pre- to post-deployment varies based on pre-deployment factors. The observed differences in anger trajectories suggest that efforts to detect and reduce problematic anger should be tailored for first-time v. repeat deployers. Ongoing screening is needed even for soldiers reporting high resilience before deployment, as the protective effect of pre-deployment resilience on anger erodes over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jason D. Kautz
- Department of Organizations, Strategy, and International Management, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Karmel W. Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Psychiatric and Neurodevelopmental Genetics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research, Broad Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - James A. Naifeh
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pablo A. Aliaga
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sonia Jain
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoying Sun
- Biostatistics Research Center, Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ronald C. Kessler
- Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Murray B. Stein
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
- Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Robert J. Ursano
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paul D. Bliese
- Department of Management, Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA
| |
Collapse
|