“Brothers in Arms”: Secondary Traumatization and Sibling Relationship Quality Among Siblings of Combat Veterans

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626052093636
Author(s):  
Gadi Zerach ◽  
Avidan Milevsky
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Military Service ◽  
Combat Veterans ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Secondary Traumatization ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality ◽  
General Distress

The aversive impact of exposure to combat and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on family members has been examined mainly among veterans’ partners and offspring. No study has examined secondary traumatization in veterans’ siblings and the role of relationship quality in these links. The present study aimed to assess secondary PTSD symptoms (PTSS) and general distress among siblings of combat veterans, and the role of sibling relationship quality in the association between veterans’ exposure to combat and PTSS and sibling secondary PTSS. A sample of 106 adult dyads of Israeli combat veterans and their closest in age siblings responded to self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional study design. The rates of sibling secondary PTSS and general distress were relatively low. However, veterans’ exposure to combat and PTSS were positively related to siblings’ secondary PTSS. Importantly, veterans’ PTSS mediated the association between veterans’ exposure to combat and siblings’ secondary PTSS, only among sibling dyads with high levels of warmth and low levels of conflict in their relationship. Furthermore, the inclusion of siblings general distress contributed to heightened sibling secondary PTSS, but only the warmth dimension moderated the link between veterans’ PTSS and siblings’ secondary PTSS. Findings suggest that veterans’ PTSS is implicated in their siblings’ secondary PTSS. Veterans’ PTSS might also serve as a possible mechanism for the links between exposure to combat and siblings’ secondary PTSS. Moreover, relationship quality with a sibling veteran might take a toll in the form of siblings’ secondary PTSS following veteran military service.

Moral Injury and Suicide Ideation Among Combat Veterans: The Role of Trauma-Related Shame and Collective Hatred

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110079
Author(s):  
Gal Schwartz ◽  
Eran Halperin ◽  
Yossi Levi-Belz
Keyword(s):  
Military Service ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Combat Veterans ◽  
Suicide Ideation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Moral Injury ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Study Results

Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) among combat veterans has been acknowledged as a significant stressful combat event that may lead to mental health problems, including suicide ideation (SI). Several studies have examined the risk and protective factors that can explain the conditions in which PMIEs may contribute to the development and maintenance of SI. However, the contribution of social-emotional factors has yet to be examined. In the current study, we examined the association between PMIE-Self and SI among combat veterans and explored the mediating role of trauma-related shame and the moderation role of collective hatred in this association. A volunteer sample of 336 Israeli combat veterans was recruited, completing self-report questionnaires in a cross-sectional study. Results indicated that PMIE-Self was positively associated with SI, and trauma-related shame mediated this association. Moreover, collective hatred moderated both their direct (PMIE–SI) and indirect (PMIE–Shame–SI) association. Notably, collective hatred had an inverse role for each of the associations. Thus, collective hatred was found to comprise both a risk and a protective factor for SI following PMIE-Self. The current findings highlight the crucial contribution of trauma-related shame and collective hatred to the association between moral injury and suicidality. Moreover, the findings demonstrate that even years after their military service release, combat veterans exposed to PMIEs may still feel consumed by painful memories and maintain premonitions of a foreshortened future. Furthermore, the findings help to better understand the dynamics of collective hatred and the challenge of modifying it.

scholarly journals Examining the Role of Communication on Sibling Relationship Quality and Interaction for Sibling Pairs With and Without a Developmental Disability

2013 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 394-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashlyn L. Smith ◽  
MaryAnn Romski ◽  
Rose A. Sevcik
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Developmental Disability ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Interaction Patterns ◽  
Lexical Diversity ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality ◽  
Sibling Pairs ◽  
Managing Behaviors

Abstract This study examined communication interaction patterns when one sibling had a developmental disability as well as the role of communication skills in sibling relationship quality. Thirty sibling dyads were categorized into one of three communication status groups: emerging, context-dependent, and independent communicators. Independent communicators and their siblings did not differ in terms of syntactic complexity but typically developing siblings dominated the interaction and exhibited greater lexical diversity regardless of communication status. Communication status did not impact the warmth/closeness, rivalry, or conflict in the sibling relationship, but siblings of independent communicators engaged in the greatest amount of helping and managing behaviors. These results represent a first step in understanding the role of communication skills in the sibling relationship for families of children with disabilities.

scholarly journals Associations Between Sibling Relationship Quality and Friendship Quality in Early Adolescence: Looking at the Case of Twins

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona Bekkhus ◽  
Mara Brendgen ◽  
Nikolai O. Czajkowski ◽  
Frank Vitaro ◽  
Ginette Dionne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Friendship Quality ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality ◽  
Best Friend ◽  
Friendship Relations ◽  
Mz Twins ◽  
The Relationship

Bidirectional pathways between twin relationship quality and friendship quality were investigated in a large longitudinal twin cohort. We examined negative and positive relationship features in 313 monozygotic (MZ) twins and 238 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins from ages 13 to 14 years, using latent structural modeling. Results showed stronger stability of the twin relationship quality compared to friendship quality. Positive features in the sibling relationship were associated with increased positive features in the relationship with the best friend a year later. In contrast, no significant association between negative sibling relationship features and change in negative friendship quality features was found. These findings speak to the important role of the sibling relationship in the development of good quality friendship relations in twins.

scholarly journals Children's Vulnerability to Interparental Conflict: The Protective Role of Sibling Relationship Quality

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (6) ◽  
pp. 2118-2134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. Davies ◽  
Lucia Q. Parry ◽  
Sonnette M. Bascoe ◽  
Meredith J. Martin ◽  
E. Mark Cummings
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Interparental Conflict ◽  
Protective Role ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality

How Does Sibling Relationship Affect Children’s Prosocial Behaviors and Best Friend Relationship Quality?

2018 ◽  
Vol 39 (8) ◽  
pp. 2413-2436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Smorti ◽  
Lucia Ponti
Keyword(s):  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Best Friend ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Further Development

The aim of this study was to explore whether the sibling condition (having a sibling) and sibling relationship quality affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality, deepening the mediating role of prosocial behaviors on the relationship between sibling relationship quality and best friend relationship quality. A sample of 310 children (161 males and 149 females) aged 8 to 11 years ( M = 9.50, SD = 0.66) completed a battery of questionnaires. Results revealed that the sibling condition did not affect prosocial behaviors and best friend relationship quality. However, the quality of sibling relationships positively affected prosocial behaviors, which in turn positively influenced best friend relationship quality, supporting the mediator hypothesis. Limitations, strengths, and further development of the present study are discussed.

scholarly journals #SiblingGoals: Exploring sibling relationship quality in the context of digital leisure and geographic distance

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Layland ◽  
Jerrica O. Peets ◽  
Camilla J. Hodge ◽  
Mikala Glaza
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Relationship Quality ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Geographic Distance ◽  
Sibling Relationship ◽  
Relationship Maintenance ◽  
Gender Composition ◽  
Sibling Relationship Quality

During the transition to adulthood, emerging adults may experience new geographic distance separating them physically from their siblings. Digital leisure is common among emerging adults and may serve as a tool for maintaining relationship quality across geographic distance. Using triangulated list responses, brief narratives, and focus groups, we calculated individual digital leisure diversity scores for four categories of digital leisure identified from a constructed taxonomy. The sample (n = 185) included college-attending emerging adults with an average age of 20.1 years (64.3% male). Analysis of variance indicated differences by dyadic gender composition in endorsement rates of select leisure categories (social media and gaming). Digital leisure diversity is associated with greater levels of affective and cognitive relationship quality, regardless of sibling dyad gender. The association between digital leisure diversity and cognitive relationship quality was significant for participants who lived under 25 miles from their sibling. Results of this study demonstrate an association between digital leisure diversity and sibling relationship quality without gender differences, however, digital leisure diversity may not play the expected role of relationship maintenance across long distances.

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