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Relationships Between Attribution Style, Child Abuse History, and PTSD Symptom Severity in Vietnam Veterans

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Abstract

Relationships between learned helplessness, locus of control, child abuse histories, adult trauma exposure and subsequent PTSD symptom severity in a clinical sample of male Vietnam veterans were examined. Learned helplessness and external locus of control were not only reliably associated with each other, but also differentially associated with childhood abuse and PTSD symptom severity. Learned helplessness, in particular, evidenced significant relationships with both childhood trauma and current distress. Contrary to expectations, child abuse history was not reliably associated with combat-related PTSD. Overall results suggested that learned helplessness and external locus of control are correlated, but independent constructs with compelling links to adult psychopathology.

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Notes

  1. A total of 89 veterans volunteered for the study. Data for one of the original 89 volunteers were excluded because this particular volunteer presented in an acute psychotic state during the study assessment (i.e., during Visit 1).

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Acknowledgments

This article was based on a Ph.D. dissertation by Victoria M. McKeever and was partially supported by the University of Oregon Wasby Dissertation Research Grant. Preliminary findings were presented at the American Psychological Association professional conference, San Francisco, California, 2001. We gratefully acknowledge the valuable feedback of National Center for PTSD Behavioral Science Division staff on this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Counseling Psychology and Human Services, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, USA

    Victoria M. McKeever, Benedict T. McWhirter & Maureen E. Huff

  2. North Range Behavioral Health, Greely, Colorado, USA

    Maureen E. Huff

  3. VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 South Columbian Way (S116-ATC), Seattle, WA, 98108, USA

    Victoria M. McKeever

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  1. Victoria M. McKeever
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  2. Benedict T. McWhirter
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  3. Maureen E. Huff
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Correspondence to Victoria M. McKeever.

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McKeever, V.M., McWhirter, B.T. & Huff, M.E. Relationships Between Attribution Style, Child Abuse History, and PTSD Symptom Severity in Vietnam Veterans. Cogn Ther Res 30, 123–133 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-006-9018-9

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