Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39023945›Full record

ArticlePsychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy2025

Do appraisals of military service indicate current distress in aging Vietnam War combat veterans?

Anica Pless Kaiser, Christopher B Brady, Avron Spiro

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Psychological trauma : theory, research, practice and policy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Anica Pless KaiserVA Boston Healthcare System.ORCID 0000-0002-4803-0191
Christopher B BradyVA Boston Healthcare System.ORCID 0000-0002-6095-6480
Avron SpiroVA Boston Healthcare System.

Funding

Lifespan outcomes of military serviceR24AG039343 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI ALDWIN, CAROLYN M., SPIRO, AVRON · 2010 to 2014
$845k
BLRD VA I01 BX002466BLRD VA I01 BX003063Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses BiorepositoryNIA NIH HHS R24 AG039343Rehabilitation Research and Development ServiceRRD VA IK2 RX001832US Department of Veterans Affairs; Clinical Science Research and Development ServiceUS Department of Veterans Affairs; Veterans Health Administration; Biomedical Laboratory Research and DevelopmentVeterans Affairs Biorepository
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveAppraisals of military service, both desirable and undesirable, assessed via Elder and Clipp's (1989) scale, are associated with psychological distress in veterans. Aging combat veterans (CV) are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress disorder and other psychological disorders yet may underreport symptoms and not seek treatment that could be beneficial. It is unknown whether desirable and undesirable appraisals of military service are associated with mental health outcomes above and beyond typical risk and protective factors, such as age, education, and combat exposure. Therefore, we examined associations between appraisals of military service and assessments of psychological distress in Vietnam War CV, currently the largest cohort of aging veterans.

methodMale Vietnam War CV aged 60 and older (

resultsBoth desirable and undesirable appraisals of military service exhibited associations with measures of psychological distress, with undesirable appraisals being more strongly associated with distress than desirable appraisals. In regression analyses, appraisals were related to mental health outcomes over and above covariates. In addition, appraisals were more strongly related to psychological versus physical well-being measures, with undesirable appraisals more strongly related to mental health and well-being measures than desirable appraisals.

conclusionAssessing appraisals of military service may identify veterans experiencing psychological distress who may benefit from referral for psychological interventions. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).

Indexed as

AgingPsychological DistressStress, PsychologicalVeteransVietnam ConflictAgedHumansMaleMiddle Aged

Identifiers

PMID39023945
PMCPMC12306490

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.