Unresolved grief in combat veterans with PTSD

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Military Mental Health
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Clinicians recognize combat-related loss of comrades as a major stressor.
• Empirical research has not sufficiently addressed unresolved grief as a combat outcome.
• Unresolved grief is often managed reactively within treatments for PTSD and depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the prevalence of combat-related grief symptoms in Vietnam veterans undergoing PTSD treatment.
• To investigate the unique association between grief severity and the loss of comrades during combat.

Main Methods:

• Assessment of grief-specific symptoms in a sample of Vietnam veterans treated for PTSD.
• Comparison of grief levels to those in individuals experiencing spousal bereavement.
• Correlation analysis to differentiate grief severity's association with combat losses versus general distress.

Main Results:

• Vietnam veterans in treatment for PTSD reported high levels of grief symptoms, comparable to recently bereaved individuals.
• Grief severity was significantly and uniquely linked to the loss of comrades in combat.
• No significant relationship was found between grief severity and trauma or depressive symptoms alone.

Conclusions:

• Combat-related grief is a prominent and distinct component of combat-related stress.
• The findings suggest that interpersonal losses during war are primary drivers of combat grief.
• This underscores the need for targeted interventions addressing combat-related grief, not solely as a byproduct of PTSD.