Combat exposure, social support, and posttraumatic stress: a longitudinal test of the stress-buffering hypothesis among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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| Title: | Combat exposure, social support, and posttraumatic stress: a longitudinal test of the stress-buffering hypothesis among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. |
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| Authors: | Bridges-Curry, Zoe (AUTHOR), Meckes, Samantha J. (AUTHOR), Fountain, Caitlin (AUTHOR), Wagner, H. Ryan (AUTHOR), Calhoun, Patrick S. (AUTHOR), Kimbrel, Nathan A. (AUTHOR), Rowland, Jared A. (AUTHOR), Dedert, Eric A. (AUTHOR), Ponzini, Gabriella T. (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology. Oct2025, Vol. 60 Issue 10, p2495-2504. 10p. |
| Subjects: | Afghan War, 2001-2021, Social support, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Perceived benefit, Medical sciences, Veterans' health |
| Abstract: | Purpose: While social support is widely viewed as a protective factor against posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few studies have directly tested whether social support buffers the long-term effects of pre-existing PTSD symptoms or baseline combat exposure among Veterans (i.e., the stress-buffering hypothesis). Methods: To address this gap, the current study tested perceived social support as a moderator of the effects of baseline PTSD symptoms and combat exposure on PTSD symptoms at 10-year follow up in a sample of post-911 Veterans (N = 783). Results: Higher levels of combat exposure and baseline PTSD symptoms predicted elevated PTSD symptoms at 10-year follow-up. Perceived social support moderated these effects, such that the impacts of baseline symptoms and combat exposure were attenuated for Veterans with high levels of perceived support. However, buffering effects were less evident at higher levels of combat exposure and were not significant at very high levels of baseline PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: While findings are broadly consistent with the stress-buffering hypothesis, results of the present study suggest that the benefits of perceived social support may be less evident at higher levels of combat exposure. Results also offer preliminary evidence that perceived social support is less protective for Veterans with severe pre-existing symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 188126762 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Combat exposure, social support, and posttraumatic stress: a longitudinal test of the stress-buffering hypothesis among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bridges-Curry%2C+Zoe%22">Bridges-Curry, Zoe</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Meckes%2C+Samantha+J%2E%22">Meckes, Samantha J.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fountain%2C+Caitlin%22">Fountain, Caitlin</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wagner%2C+H%2E+Ryan%22">Wagner, H. Ryan</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Calhoun%2C+Patrick+S%2E%22">Calhoun, Patrick S.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kimbrel%2C+Nathan+A%2E%22">Kimbrel, Nathan A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rowland%2C+Jared+A%2E%22">Rowland, Jared A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dedert%2C+Eric+A%2E%22">Dedert, Eric A.</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ponzini%2C+Gabriella+T%2E%22">Ponzini, Gabriella T.</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Social+Psychiatry+%26+Psychiatric+Epidemiology%22">Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology</searchLink>. Oct2025, Vol. 60 Issue 10, p2495-2504. 10p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Afghan+War%2C+2001-2021%22">Afghan War, 2001-2021</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+support%22">Social support</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Post-traumatic+stress+disorder%22">Post-traumatic stress disorder</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Perceived+benefit%22">Perceived benefit</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+sciences%22">Medical sciences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Veterans'+health%22">Veterans' health</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: While social support is widely viewed as a protective factor against posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), few studies have directly tested whether social support buffers the long-term effects of pre-existing PTSD symptoms or baseline combat exposure among Veterans (i.e., the stress-buffering hypothesis). Methods: To address this gap, the current study tested perceived social support as a moderator of the effects of baseline PTSD symptoms and combat exposure on PTSD symptoms at 10-year follow up in a sample of post-911 Veterans (N = 783). Results: Higher levels of combat exposure and baseline PTSD symptoms predicted elevated PTSD symptoms at 10-year follow-up. Perceived social support moderated these effects, such that the impacts of baseline symptoms and combat exposure were attenuated for Veterans with high levels of perceived support. However, buffering effects were less evident at higher levels of combat exposure and were not significant at very high levels of baseline PTSD symptoms. Conclusion: While findings are broadly consistent with the stress-buffering hypothesis, results of the present study suggest that the benefits of perceived social support may be less evident at higher levels of combat exposure. Results also offer preliminary evidence that perceived social support is less protective for Veterans with severe pre-existing symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00127-025-02864-w Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 10 StartPage: 2495 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Afghan War, 2001-2021 Type: general – SubjectFull: Social support Type: general – SubjectFull: Post-traumatic stress disorder Type: general – SubjectFull: Perceived benefit Type: general – SubjectFull: Medical sciences Type: general – SubjectFull: Veterans' health Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Combat exposure, social support, and posttraumatic stress: a longitudinal test of the stress-buffering hypothesis among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bridges-Curry, Zoe – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Meckes, Samantha J. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Fountain, Caitlin – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wagner, H. Ryan – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Calhoun, Patrick S. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Kimbrel, Nathan A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rowland, Jared A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Dedert, Eric A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ponzini, Gabriella T. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 10 Text: Oct2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 09337954 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 60 – Type: issue Value: 10 Titles: – TitleFull: Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology Type: main |
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