Document Type

Poster

Date

4-9-2026

Keywords

PTSD, Anxiety, Depression, Veterans

Campus Community

Center for Health Behavior Research and Innovation; College of Arts and Sciences; Veteran and Military Behavioral Health Collaborative; D'Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families; School of Social Work; School of Education; Syracuse University; VA Center of Integrated Health Care

Language

English

Funder(s)

Center for Health Behavior Research & Innovation, D'Aniello Institute of Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, Veteran & Military Health Collaborative

Disciplines

Military and Veterans Studies

Description/Abstract

Background: Psychiatric disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are highly common and debilitating conditions among veterans. Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) such as active combat, blast exposure, close calls, and witnessing injury or death during military service may be a significant risk factor for the development and maintenance of psychiatric conditions. This analysis sought to examine the extent to which individuals with PTE exposure related to military service had different levels of psychiatric symptoms. Method: A sample of 266 veterans were recruited using Prolific, an online research panel service. Participants completed the Primary Care PTSD Screen for DSM-5 (PC-PCL-5), Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2). Exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) was assessed using self-report of exposure to traumatic events such as combat or enemy fire, blast exposure, close calls, witnessing injury or death, or exposure to civilian suffering. Only PTE exposures incurred during military service were included in this analysis. Independent sample t-tests were used to examine differences in levels of PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms among veterans, with and without PTE exposure. Results: Respondents were 62% male, average age of 47, and 43% reported exposure to PTEs. Independent sample t tests revealed significant group differences in levels of PTSD (t(174)=-3.51, p< .01), depression (t(264)=-4.65, p< .01), and anxiety (t(264)=-4.00, p< .01) such that individuals with PTE exposure reported more psychological symptoms than those without PTE exposure. Conclusions: Exposure to PTE during military service is associated with elevated symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety, as measured by self-reported screening questionnaires. These findings stress the importance of screening veterans who have exposure to PTEs and tailoring interventions to address different military service experiences. Future research is necessary to determine how to best match military intervention to individual needs among veterans.

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