This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (105)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Thomas Yager, PhD; Robert Laufer, PhD; Mark Gallops, MA

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984;41(4):327-333.

Abstract
• A national sample of men who were of military age during the Vietnam War (n =1,342) was interviewed six to 15 years after veterans in the sample had left the service. Our findings showed that violent experiences in war were associated with a variety of behavioral and emotional problems. When preservice background factors were statistically controlled, combat exposure showed an association with arrests and convictions (generally for nonviolent offenses), with drinking, and with symptoms of traumatic stress. Participants in atrocities reported more stress symptoms and greater use of heroin and marijuana than did other veterans. Veterans who experienced no combat and did not take part in atrocities, however, did not differ appreciably from nonveterans. Not all men who experienced combat or took part in atrocities reported personal difficulties; almost three fourths of heavy-combat veterans were not arrested after the service. Tape recorded responses of the ten blacks and 18 whites who took part in atrocities suggested that soldiers' emotional responses may have been determined by their ability or inability to dehumanize the victims. Future research would benefit from a closer coordination of clinical and epidemiologic approaches.

Author Affiliations
From the Vietnam Era Research Project, Center for Policy Research (Drs Yager and Laufer and Mr Gallops); the Department of Sociology, Brooklyn College/Graduate Center, City University of New York (Dr Laufer); and the Department of Sociology, Columbia University (Mr Gallops), New York.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication July 20, 1983.

Reprints not available.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Influence of childhood adversity on health among male UK military personnel
Iversen et al.
Br. J. Psychiatry 2007;191:506-511.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

What happens to British veterans when they leave the armed forces?
Iversen et al.
Eur J Public Health 2005;15:175-184.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Life-Course Analysis of Military Service in Vietnam
Wright et al.
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 2005;42:55-83.
ABSTRACT  

MMPI-2 Assessment of Differential Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Patterns in Combat Veterans and Sexual Assault Victims
KIRZ et al.
J Interpers Violence 2001;16:619-639.
ABSTRACT  

Higher Abnormal Leukocyte and Lymphocyte Counts 20 Years After Exposure to Severe Stress: Research and Clinical Implications
Boscarino and Chang
Psychosom. Med. 1999;61:378-386.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

A Twin Study of Genetic and Environmental Contributions to Liability for Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms
True et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1993;50:257-264.
ABSTRACT  

Vietnam Veterans and the Criminal Justice System: A Selected Review
BECKERMAN and FONTANA
Criminal Justice and Behavior 1989;16:412-428.
ABSTRACT  

Trauma and Victimization: A Model of Psychological Adaptation
McCann et al.
The Counseling Psychologist 1988;16:531-594.
ABSTRACT  

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Israeli Combat Veterans: Effect of Phenelzine Treatment
Lerer et al.
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1987;44:976-981.
ABSTRACT  

Postservice Mortality Among Vietnam Veterans
The Centers for Disease Control Vietnam Experience
JAMA 1987;257:790-795.
ABSTRACT  

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Emerging From the Rhetoric
Putten and Yager
Arch Gen Psychiatry 1984;41:411-413.
ABSTRACT