Intergenerational Transmission of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Australian Vietnam Veterans ’ Daughters and Sons: The Effect of Family Emotional Climate While Growing Up

AbstractPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military veterans increases the risk of PTSD in their offspring, a concept known as “intergenerational transmission;” however, the mechanism by which this transmission may occur is, as yet, undetermined. The present study included a nonclinical sample of 197 Australian Army veterans of the Vietnam War who were interviewed 17 years before in-person interviews of their adult daug hters (n = 163) and sons (n = 120) were conducted. Veterans ’ PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related PTSD. Approximately 17 years later, offspring PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale forDSM-IV. In addition, offspring described the family emotional climate during their youth; responses were coded using the Family Affective Attitude Rating Scale (FAARS) to produce scale scores of veterans ’ negative, positive, and family relationship styles. A path analysis was conducted via structural equation modeling to test for significant path coefficients between veteran PTSD, family emotional climate, and offspring PTSD symptoms. For daughters, significant path coefficients were observed bet ween veteran PTSD scores and FAARS scores, path coefficient = -.268; FAARS scores and offspring CAPS severity scores, path coefficient = -.223; and veteran PTSD scores and daughters’ CAPS severity scores, path coefficient = .186. No satisfactory model could be found for sons. The results suggest t h...
Source: Journal of Traumatic Stress - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: RESEARCH ARTICLE Source Type: research