Mental health treatment utilization and relationship functioning among male and female OEF/OIF veterans.

Abstract

This study examined whether romantic relationship functioning was associated with mental health treatment utilization in male and female veterans. Veterans (N = 760) enrolled in a longitudinal registry completed self-report measures and a diagnostic interview for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Mental health treatment utilization data procured from Veterans Affairs administrative records were analyzed over 12 months. For men with PTSD, greater romantic relationship dysfunction was associated with more total mental health visits, medication management visits, and group psychotherapy visits. For women with PTSD, romantic relationship dysfunction was negatively associated with total mental health, individual psychotherapy, and group therapy visits. For women without PTSD, greater relationship dysfunction was associated with fewer total mental health visits and group therapy visits. For men, relationship difficulties appear to be positively related to mental health service use; however, for women, relationship difficulties appear to have no relation or a negative relation to mental health service use.

The role of PTSD symptom severity and relationship functioning in male and female veterans’ mental health service use.

“…The findings from the present study are consistent with previous research for male veterans (Harper et al, 2021; Vogt, Danitz, et al, 2019). Although Vogt, Danitz, et al (2019) did not find a predictive effect of intimate relationship functioning for men in mediation models, they found that at the bivariate level, poorer intimate relationship functioning was associated with higher likelihood of mental health service use.…”

“…In contrast with previous findings for female veterans (Vogt, Danitz, et al, 2019), poorer intimate relationship functioning did not explain increased likelihood of mental health treatment seeking. However, these findings are consistent with Harper et al, 2021. Of note, the present study and the Vogt, Danitz, et al (2019) study used different measures of intimate relationship functioning across studies and participants in the present study had higher PTSD symptom severity than the Vogt, Danitz, et al (2019) sample. These differences may help explain the inconsistent findings across studies.…”

“…Previous research has demonstrated that intimate relationship functioning may be differently related to mental health care use for men and women. Whereas some research has found that problems in intimate relationships is a motivating factor for female veterans (Vogt, Danitz, et al, 2019), another study demonstrated the same effect for male but not female veterans (Harper et al, 2021). The aim of the present study was to further examine whether PTSD symptom severity facilitates treatment seeking through intimate relationship functioning for male and female veterans.…”

“…There are also limitations that should be noted. Owing to the data collection time points, mental health service use was only captured for a four-month time frame, which is a relatively short period of time compared with previous studies (Harper et al, 2021; Vogt, Danitz, et al, 2019). Future research should include longer time frames to increase the likelihood of capturing veterans struggling with intimate relationship functioning who may initiate mental health treatment.…”

“…Given the negative impact of PTSD symptoms on relationships, we expected that PTSD symptom severity would be negatively associated with intimate relationship functioning. Based on previous findings (Harper et al, 2021;Vogt, Danitz, et al, 2019), we expected that poorer intimate relationship functioning would be positively associated with likelihood of mental health service use. Last, based on Vogt, Danitz, et al (2019) findings, we expected that poor intimate relationship functioning would mediate this association for female veterans but not for male veterans.…”