An ethnocultural study of posttraumatic stress disorder in African-American and white American Vietnam War veterans

Ethnic and racial differences in clinically relevant symptoms in active duty military personnel with posttraumatic stress disorder

Previous research has shown racial/ethnic differences in Vietnam veterans on symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The current study explored racial/ethnic differences in PTSD symptoms and clinically relevant symptoms. Resilience and social support were tested as potential moderators of racial/ethnic differences in symptoms. The sample included 303 active duty male service members seeking treatment for PTSD. After controlling for age, education, military grade, and combat exposure, Hispanic/Latino and African American service members reported greater PTSD symptoms compared to non-Hispanic White service members. Higher alcohol consumption was endorsed by Hispanic/Latino service members compared to non-Hispanic White or African American service members, even after controlling for PTSD symptom severity. No racial/ethnic differences were found with regard to other variables. These results suggest that care should be made to thoroughly assess PTSD patients, especially those belonging to minority groups, for concurrent substance use problems that may impede treatment utilization or adherence.

A Comparison Of Depressive Symptons In African Americans And Caucasian Americans

The study examined group differences in depressive symptomatology on the Beck Depression Inventory in 278 African Americans and 278 Caucasian Americans seeking psychotherapy. Relative to Caucasian Americans, African Americans reported less pessimism, dissatisfaction, self-blame, and suicidal ideation and more sense of punishment and weight change, but for reasons unrelated to depression. Self-dislike was a stronger manifestation of depression in Caucasian Americans, and sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, and loss of libido were stronger manifestations of depression in African Americans. Group differences were not accounted for by gender, marital status, age, or education. The study contributes to the understanding of sociocultural variants of self reported depression by distinguishing different ways in which symptomatology may differ.

An overview of posttraumatic stress disorder in African Americans

While several studies have found high rates of trauma exposure there is limited information on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its relationship to depression in the African American population. The prevalence and/or expression of psychiatric disorders can differ between racial/ethnic groups. The authors review literature addressing trauma exposure, prevalence, and expression of PTSD in the African American population. Risk factors that may be of specific significance to the development of PTSD in African Americans are also reviewed. Additionally, treatment issues and potential directions for future research of PTSD in the African American population are discussed.

Post-traumatic stress disorder: evidence-based research for the third millennium

The stress that results from traumatic events precipitates a spectrum of psycho-emotional and physiopathological outcomes. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that results from the experience or witnessing of traumatic or life-threatening events. PTSD has profound psychobiological correlates, which can impair the person's daily life and be life threatening. In light of current events (e.g. extended combat, terrorism, exposure to certain environmental toxins), a sharp rise in patients with PTSD diagnosis is expected in the next decade. PTSD is a serious public health concern, which compels the search for novel paradigms and theoretical models to deepen the understanding of the condition and to develop new and improved modes of treatment intervention. We review the current knowledge of PTSD and introduce the role of allostasis as a new perspective in fundamental PTSD research. We discuss the domain of evidence-based research in medicine, particularly in the context of complementary medical intervention for patients with PTSD. We present arguments in support of the notion that the future of clinical and translational research in PTSD lies in the systematic evaluation of the research evidence in treatment intervention in order to insure the most effective and efficacious treatment for the benefit of the patient.

Racial differences in psychotic symptoms among combat veterans with PTSD

We tested the hypothesis that race may influence clinical presentation and symptomatology in combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). African-American and Caucasian veterans were administered the Psychotic Screen Module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM, Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and other psychometric measures at a Veterans Affairs outpatient PTSD clinic. Subjects were consecutive referrals who were not matched for level of combat trauma or preexisting trauma; however, there were no group differences in other relevant demographic or diagnostic variables. Significant racial differences, with modest effect sizes, were found on clinician ratings of psychotic symptoms, MMPI-2 scale 6 ("paranoia"), and a measure of dissociation. No significant differences were found for the MMPI-2 scale 8 ("schizophrenia"), or on measures that might suggest comorbid depression or anxiety. African-Americans with PTSD endorsed more items suggesting positive symptoms of psychosis, without higher rates of primary psychosis, depression, or anxiety than Caucasians.

Replication and expansion of findings related to racial differences in veterans with combat-related PTSD

Racial differences in those seeking treatment at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) outpatient posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment program were examined. One hundred eleven (71 Caucasian and 40 African American) veterans were compared on both self-report measures and interview measures of PTSD, depression, dissociation, and general psychopathology. Participants completed the following self-report measures: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, the Mississippi Combat PTSD Scale, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2). Participants also completed the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-1), which is a structured interview for PTSD, and completed a non-structured clinical interview. The two groups did not differ on measured demographic variables, nor were there significant differences on self-report or interview measures of anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptomatology. Contrary to expectation, groups did not differ on self-report measures of dissociation, paranoia, or schizophrenia. African Americans were significantly more likely to endorse items of bizarre mentation from the MMPI-2. These results suggest that African American and Caucasian veterans with combat-related PTSD do not differ with regard to manifestation or severity of psychopathology.