Battling on the Home Front: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Conflict Behavior Among Military Couples

Lynne M. Knobloch-Fedders, Catherine Caska-Wallace, Timothy W. Smith, Keith Renshaw

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study evaluated interpersonal behavior differences among male military service members with and without PTSD and their female partners. Couples (N = 64) completed a 17-minute videotaped conflict discussion, and their interaction behavior was coded using the circumplex-based Structural Analysis of Social Behavior model (SASB; Benjamin, 1979, 1987, 2000). Within couples, the behavior of partners was very similar. Compared to military couples without PTSD, couples with PTSD displayed more interpersonal hostility and control. Couples with PTSD also exhibited more sulking, blaming, and controlling behavior, and less affirming and connecting behavior, than couples without PTSD. Results advance our understanding of the relational impacts of PTSD on military service members and their partners, and underscore the value of couple-based interventions for PTSD in the context of relationship distress.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)247-261
Number of pages15
JournalBehavior Therapy
Volume48
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1 2017

Funding

Keywords

  • PTSD
  • Structural Analysis of Social Behavior
  • couples
  • interpersonal behavior
  • military

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Clinical Psychology

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