Emotional Competence and Combat-Related PTSD Symptoms in Croatian Homeland War Veterans

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between four factors of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms -re-experiencing, avoidance, dysphoria and hyperarousal -and particular domains of emotional competence and emotional regulation and control among 215 Croatian Homeland War veterans. Cross-sectionally, emotional competence subscales -perceiving and understanding emotions, expressing and labelling emotions, managing and regulating emotions -were associated with dysphoria symptom cluster only, while emotional regulation and control subscalesinfluence of emotion and mood on memory and emotional reaction control -were associated with dysphoria and re-experiencing symptom clusters. The results of this study are consistent with the view that successful recovery from trauma requires adaptive emotion competence skills and that therefore difficulties in dealing with emotions (understanding, expressing or regulating) are a risk factor for the development and/or maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. It appears that interventions organized toward improving emotional competence and regulation may be useful as complementary or independent treatments for combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder.

Salivary cortisol in post-traumatic stress disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common psychiatric and anxiety disorder caused by traumatic events [ 1 ]. It has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of the affected patients [ 2 ], as well as their professional and social life [ 3 , 4 ], which may impose a large burden on patients’ families and society. Indeed, PTSD is a kind of complex disease which may also be related to genetic factors (internal factors) and environmental factors (external factors) [ 5 , 6 ].…”

Living with a traumatized partner: Dyadic approach to well-being of war-affected married couples.

“…Whichever course of action the wife chooses, it can lead to lower personal well-being and reinforce partners avoidance behaviors, diminish shared activities, and limit emotional expressions and interpersonal sharing (Monson et al, 2009). In addition, low emotional competence, evident in lack of understanding, expressing, and regulating emotions which has been found in veterans suffering from PTSD (Knezˇevic ́et al, 2017), is one of the important factors that contribute to the persistence of mental health problems and can increase difficulties in partner relationships.…”