Gun Use, Attitudes toward Violence, and Aggression among Combat Veterans with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

Vietnam veterans with chronic combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been frequently reported to exhibit high levels of aggression and violent behavior. In this study, gun collection and use habits, attitudes toward violence, and self-reported levels of aggression were compared between veterans with chronic PTSD and non-PTSD veterans with equivalent histories of alcohol and substance abuse. PTSD patients reported different attitudes toward violent crime, higher levels of self-reported aggression, and a significantly higher incidence of potentially dangerous firearm-related behaviors than comparison subjects.

Stress and the social brain: behavioural effects and neurobiological mechanisms

“…Insights into links between stress and social behaviors have also been obtained in studies of individuals with stress-related psychiatric disorders, such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. These disorders frequently involve marked dysfunctions in social functioning, including reductions in social motivation and social cognition, social anxiety and avoidance, alterations in social behaviors 9,10 , and high levels of anger, hostility or violence 179,180 , particularly when experiencing stress 181 . Adverse early-life social experiences are particularly associated with social anxiety and aggression later in life.…”

Issues in defining and measuring veteran community reintegration: Proceedings of the Working Group on Community Reintegration,VA Rehabilitation Outcomes Conference, Miami, Florida

“…A widespread concern is that this new cohort of veterans will follow a similar path as Vietnam war veterans, of which a high proportion experience chronic PTSD and chronic, pervasive everyday life difficulties, including marital and work difficulties, poor parenting skills, violent behavior, alcohol and drug abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, suicide attempts, and homelessness [10][11][12][13].…”

Measurement of community reintegration in sample of severely wounded servicemembers

“…Data suggests that OIF/OEF service will negatively affect a far greater number of persons beyond those counted in the combat casualty statistics, with upwards of 790,000 veterans expected to seek disability benefits for service-related health problems [10]. Society's understanding of the effects of poor postdeployment reintegration stems largely from the experience of Vietnam war veterans, a disproportionate number of whom suffer from chronic PTSD and pervasive difficulties in their everyday lives, including marital and work difficulties, poor parenting skills, violent behavior, alcohol and drug abuse, involvement with the criminal justice system, suicide attempts, and homelessness [11][12][13][14][15][16]. More than one-third of homeless men in the United States are veterans [17], with an estimated 250,000 veterans homeless on a given night and more than 500,000 homeless over the course of a year [16].…”