15. Military sexual trauma as a determinant in the development of mental and physical illness in male and female veterans

Numerous studies attest to the prevalence and complex negative consequences associated with military sexual trauma (MST). However, relatively less is known about male survivors and about the interaction of psychological problems such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and emotion management difficulties following MST. The current study examined the path of psychological distress following MST in both male and female veterans. We predicted that (a) history of MST would predict more severe PTSD symptoms, which in turn would predict greater use of dysfunctional emotion management strategies (specifically, tension reduction behaviors) and that (b) PTSD symptoms would mediate the relationship between history of MST and tension reduction behaviors. Finally, we explored whether the indirect (i.e., mediating) effect was moderated by gender. Data were obtained from pretreatment paper and pencil assessments administered as part of standard clinical care from 338 veterans seeking treatment at a Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health specialty clinic. Veterans who endorsed MST experienced more severe PTSD symptoms and greater reported use of tension reduction behaviors. Bootstrapping testing the indirect effect revealed that PTSD symptoms mediated the relationship between history of MST and tension reduction behaviors. An exploratory moderated mediation analysis found that the indirect effect did not differ as a function of gender. PTSD symptoms appear to mediate the relationship between MST and tension reduction behaviors in veterans, regardless of gender. While previous research has suggested that civilian men report a greater number of tension reduction behaviors following a sexual assault compared to civilian women, we did not find the same gender differences among veterans. These results may provide support for using trauma-focused treatment even when MST survivors are reporting high-risk tension reduction behaviors.

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Anxiety sensitivity and posttraumatic stress symptoms: Associations among female Veterans with a history of military sexual trauma

Military Psychology ◽

10.1080/08995605.2021.1962188 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Chelsea R. Ennis ◽

Amanda M. Raines ◽

Kenna R. Ebert ◽

C. Laurel Franklin

Keyword(s):

Posttraumatic Stress ◽

Anxiety Sensitivity ◽

Sexual Trauma ◽

Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms ◽

Military Sexual Trauma ◽

Female Veterans ◽

Stress Symptoms ◽

History Of

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Life course perspective on the role of military sexual trauma as a pathway to homelessness for female veterans

Journal of Military Veteran and Family Health ◽

10.3138/jmvfh-2021-0029 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. e20210029

Author(s):

Stephanie Felder ◽

Peter J. Delany

Keyword(s):

Life Course ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Sexual Trauma ◽

Active Duty ◽

Life Course Perspective ◽

Military Sexual Trauma ◽

Female Veterans ◽

Drug Problems ◽

Chronic Health Problems

Lay Summary The human dimension of war can be traumatizing. For women serving as active-duty service members, the atrocities of war can be exacerbated by sexual harassment and abuse, known as military sexual trauma (MST). The limited research on MST among U.S. Veterans suggests that as many as 1 in 3 Veterans experiencing homelessness were exposed to MST. MST can have long-lasting consequences, including alcohol and drug problems, depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress, chronic health problems, and unstable housing and homelessness. This qualitative exploratory study used a life course perspective to examine how MST and other experiences influenced female Veterans’ pathways into homelessness.

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