Strangers at home: comment on Dirkzwager, Bramsen, Adèr, and van der Ploeg (2005)

This comment summarizes the findings of the article by A. J. E. Dirkzwager, I. Bramsen, H. Adèr, and H. M. van der Ploeg (2005; see record 2005-06518-006) and notes that it can serve as a reawakening about the immediate and long-term psychosocial consequences of war, not only for those troops who are deployed but also for the loved ones who await their return. The lessons learned once again--that the mental health of the returning peacekeeper parallels that of his or her partner, that partners of traumatized soldiers report more posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, somatic and sleep problems, negative social support, and low marital morale than partners of nontraumatized soldiers--are consistent with systemic traumatology theory. This comment traces the historical and theoretical foundations that underlie the concept of secondary trauma (i.e., compassion fatigue) and discusses the implications for family psychology practice in helping veterans and their families recover from their ordeals.