On health and disorder in Vietnam veterans: an invited commentary

The study by LaGuardia et al attributes earlier findings of prevalence of stress disorder among Vietnam veterans to investigator bias. It is suggested that the focus of the present study furthers a powerful but misleading debate about mental health vs. illness of veterans, and may undermine efforts to provide needed services. Factors maintaining the health vs. disorder controversy are reviewed, assumptions about combat as a tolerable stress are examined, and evidence of a normal stress recovery process for survivors of catastrophe is discussed.