Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exposure to War Trauma, War-Related PTSD, and Psychological Impact of Subsequent Hurricane

  • Published:
Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study explored the impact of psychological outcomes to war on response to subsequent natural disaster. Participants were 312 military personnel, 66% of whom saw Gulf War duty. All were exposed to the 1992 Hurricane Andrew. Troops were compared on reported traumatic events, hurricane impact responses, and psychological symptoms in subgroups defined by war or no war exposure prior to hurricane and by presence or absence of war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data were gathered in face-to-face clinical assessments. War trauma prior to hurricane was associated with more reported traumatic events, greater fears for safety during the hurricane, and heightened psychological symptoms. Troops with preexisting war-related PTSD showed more adverse psychological hurricane sequelae and reported more traumatic events, higher depression, anxiety, anger, PTSD symptoms, and physical symptoms, and lower self-esteem than those free of diagnoses. Results point to the negative influence of exposure to one traumatic event on the experience of and response to a subsequent stressor.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

REFERENCES

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd ed., rev.). Washington, DC: Author.

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

  • Bartone, P. T., Ursano, R. J., Wright, K. M., &; Ingraham, L. H. (1989). The impact of a military air disaster on the health of assistanceworkers: A prospective study. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 177, 317–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Ward, C. H., Mendelson, M., Mock, J., &; Erbaugh, J. (1961). An inventory for measuring depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 4, 561–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benotsch, E. G., Brailey, K., Vasterling, J. J., Uddo, M., Constans, J. I., &; Sutker, P. B. (2000). War zone stress, personal and environmental resources, and PTSD symptoms in Gulf War veterans: A longitudinal perspective. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 109, 205–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breslau, N., Davis, G. C., Andreski, P., &; Peterson, E. (1991). Traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder in an urban population of young adults. Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 216–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Breslau, N., Kessler, R. C., Chilcoat, H. D., Schultz, L. R., Davis, G. C., &; Andreski, P. (1998). Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the community: The 1996 Detroit Area Survey of Trauma. Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, 626–632.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J., &; Elliott, D. (2000). Prevalence, characteristics, and long-term sequelae of natural disaster exposure in the general population. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 13, 661–679.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bromet, E., Sonnega, A., &; Kessler, R. C. (1998). Risk factors for DSMIII-R post-traumatic stress disorder: Findings from the National Comorbidity Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 147, 353–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Caldera, T., Palma, L., Penayo, U., &; Kullgren, G. (2001). Psychological impact of the hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua in a one-year perspective. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, 36, 108–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fairbank, J. A., Ebert, L., &; Caddell, J. M. (2001). Post-traumatic stress disorder. In H. E. Adams &; P. B. Sutker (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of psychopathology (3rd ed., pp. 183–209). New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Follette, V. M., Polusny, M., Bechtle, A. E., &; Naugle, A. E. (1996). Cumulative trauma: The impact of child sexual abuse, adult sexual assault, and substance abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 25–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedy, J. R., Addy, C. L., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., &; Garrison, C. Z. (2001). Examination of a multivariate risk factor model for predicting post-traumatic stress disorder following two major natural disasters. Manuscript submitted for publication.

  • Freedy, J. R., &; Kilpatrick, D. G. (1994). Everything you ever wanted to know about natural disasters and mental health (well, almost!). NCP Clinical Quarter, Spring, 6–8.

  • Freedy, J. R., Saladin, M. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., &; Saunders, B. E. (1994). Understanding acute psychological distress following natural disaster. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7, 257–273.

    Google Scholar 

  • Freedy, J. R., Shaw, D. L., Jarrell, M. P., &; Masters, C. R. (1992). Towards an understanding of the psychological impact of natural disasters: An application of the conservation resources stress model. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 5, 441–454.

    Google Scholar 

  • Garrison, C. Z., Bryant, E. S., Addy, C. L., Spurrier, P. G., Freedy, J. R., &; Kilpatrick, D. G. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in adolescents after Hurricane Andrew. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34, 1193–1201.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goenjian, A. K., Molina, L., Steinberg, A. M., Fairbanks, L. A., Alvarez, M. L., Goenjian, H. A., &; Pynoos, R. S. (2001). Posttraumatic stress and depressive reactions among Nicaraguan adolescents after Hurricane Mitch. American Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 788–794.

    Google Scholar 

  • Green, B. L., Goodman, L. A., Krupnick, J. L., Corcoran, C. B., Petty, R. M., Stockton, P., &; Stern, N. M. (2000). Outcomes of single versus multiple trauma exposure in a screening sample. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 13, 271–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, R. F., Kilpatrick, D. G., Freedy, J. R., &; Saunders, B. E. (1995). Los Angeles County after the 1992 civil disturbances: Degree of exposure and impact on mental health. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 987–996.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hobfoll, S. E., Lilly, R. S., &; Jackson, (1991). Conservation of social resources and the self. In H. O. F. Veiel &; U. Baumann (Eds.), The meaning and measurement of social support: Taking stock of 20 years of research Washington, DC: Hemisphere.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keane, T. M., &; Barlow, D. H. (in press). Posttraumatic stress disorder. In D. H. Barlow (Ed.), Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic. New York: Guilford.

  • Keane, T. M., Caddell, J. M., &; Taylor, K. (1988). Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Three studies in reliability and validity. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 85–90.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Sonnega, A., Bromet, E., Hughes, M., &; Nelson, C. B. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 52, 1048–1060.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kilpatrick, D., Freedy, J. R., Resnick, H. S., &; Lipovsky, J. A. (1992, November). Predicting psychological distress two years following natural disaster. Poster session presented at the 26th annual meeting of Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Boston, MA.

  • Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., Saunders, B. E., &; Best, C. L. (1998). Rape, other violence against women, and posttraumatic stress disorder: Critical issues in addressing the adversity-stresspsychopathology relationship. In B. P. Dohrenwend (Ed.), Adversity, stress, and psychopathology (pp. 161–176). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulka, R. A., Schlenger, W. E., Fairbank, J. A., Hough, R. L., Jordan, B. K., Marmar, C. R., &; Weiss, D. S. (1990). Trauma and the VietnamWar generation: Report of findings from the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCauley, J., Kern, D. E., Kolodner, K., Dill, L., Schroeder, A. F., DeChant, H. K., Ryden, J., Derogatis, L. R., &; Bass, E. B. (1997). Clinical characteristics ofwomen with a history of childhood abuse: Unhealed wounds. JAMA, 277, 1362–1368.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miranda, J. M., Green, B. L., &; Krupnick, J. (1997, December). Mental disorders in disadvantaged gynecology patients. Paper presented at the North American Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, Tucson, AZ.

  • Norris, F. H. (1992). Epidemiology of trauma: Frequency and impact of different potentially traumatic events on different demographic groups. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60, 409–418.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rappaport, E. (1993). Hurricane Andrew 16-26 August, 1992 updated 10 December, 1993. National Hurricane Center.

  • Resnick, H. S., Kilpatrick, D. G., Best, C. L., &; Kramer, T. L. (1992). Vulnerability-stress factors in development of post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 180, 424–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robins, L., Cottler, L., Bucholz, K., &; Compton, W. (1995). Diagnostic Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (DIS-IV). St. Louis: Washington University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robins, L. N., Helzer, J. E., Croughan, J., &; Ratcliff, K. S. (1981). National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule: Its history, characteristics, and validity. Archives of General Psychiatry, 38, 381–389.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1989). Society and the adolescent self-image. Middletown: Wesleyan University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rubonis, A. V., &; Bickman, L. (1991). Psychological impairment in the wake of disaster: The disaster-psychopathology relationship. Psychological Bulletin, 109, 384–399.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B. W., &; Freedy, J. R. (2000). Psychosocial resource loss as a mediator of the effects of flood exposure on psychological distress and physical symptoms. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 13, 349–357.

    Google Scholar 

  • Solomon, Z., Mikulincer, M., &; Kotler, M. (1987). A two year follow-up of somatic complaints among Israeli combat stress reaction casualties. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 31, 463–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D. (1980). Preliminary manual for the State-Trait Anger Scale (STAS). Tampa: University of South Florida Human Resources Institute.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Gorsuch, R. C., &; Lushene, R. E. (1970). STAI: Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., &; Allain, A. N. (1996). Assessment of PTSD and other mental disorders in WWII and Korean Conflict POWsurvivors and combat veterans. Psychological Assessment, 8, 18–25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Davis, J. M., Uddo, M., &; Ditta, S. R. (1995). Assessment of psychological distress in Persian Gulf troops: Ethnicity and gender comparisons. Journal of Personality Assessment, 64, 415–427.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Galina, Z. H., West, J. A., &; Allain, A. N. (1990). Traumainduced weight loss and cognitive deficits among former prisoners of war. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 323–328.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Uddo, M., Brailey, K., &; Allain, A. N. (1993). Trauma characteristics and stress-related symptoms in Operation Desert Shield/Storm (ODS) returnees. Journal of Social Issues, 49(4), 33–49.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Uddo, M., Brailey, K., Allain, A. N., &; Errera, P. (1994). Psychological symptoms and psychiatric diagnoses in ODS troops serving graves registration duty. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7, 159–171.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Uddo, M., Brailey, K., Vasterling, J. J., &; Errera, P. (1994). Psychopathology in war-zone deployed and non-deployed Operation Desert Storm troops assigned graves registration duties. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 103, 383–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Uddo-Crane, M., &; Allain, A. N. (1991). Clinical and research assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A conceptual overview. Psychological Assessment: A Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 3, 520–530.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Winstead, D. K., Galina, Z. H., &; Allain, A. N. (1990). Assessment of long-term psychosocial sequelae among Korean Conflict POW survivors. Journal of Personality Assessment, 54, 170–180.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutker, P. B., Winstead, D. K., Galina, Z. H., &; Allain, A. N. (1991). Cognitive deficits and psychopathology among former prisoners of war and combat veterans of the Korean Conflict. American Journal of Psychiatry, 148, 67–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vernberg, E. M., La Greca, A. M., Silverman, W. K., &; Prinstein, M. J. (1996). Prediction of posttraumatic stress symptoms in children after Hurricane Andrew. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 237–248.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vrana, S. R.& Lauterbach, D. (1994). Prevalence of traumatic events and post-traumatic psychological symptoms in a non-clinical sample of college students. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7, 289–302.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Sciences Center, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas

    Patricia B. Sutker

  2. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

    Sheila A. Corrigan, Kirsten Sundgaard-Riise, Madeline Uddo & Albert N. Allain

Authors
  1. Patricia B. Sutker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sheila A. Corrigan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kirsten Sundgaard-Riise
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Madeline Uddo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Albert N. Allain
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sutker, P.B., Corrigan, S.A., Sundgaard-Riise, K. et al. Exposure to War Trauma, War-Related PTSD, and Psychological Impact of Subsequent Hurricane. Journal of Psychopathology and Behavioral Assessment 24, 25–37 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014049123935

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1014049123935

Search

Navigation