“A Pre and Post Deployment Comparison of Veterans between Alcohol Use and PTSD Symptomology”

By

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Background of the Study1

Purpose of the Study1

Reason for Study2

Problem Statement2

Aims and Objectives2

Hypotheses2

Rationale of the Study3

Significance of the Study3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW4

Pre-deployment4

Post-deployment4

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)5

Alcohol Abuse5

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY7

Research Method7

Research Design7

Study Sample8

Data Management and Analysis9

Reliability and Validity10

Ethical Concerns10

Projected Time Table11

REFERENCES12

BIBLIOGRAPHY22

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been identified as the largest and most persistent combat operations since the Vietnam War (Cano, 2003, 30). Military personnel serving in these wars are being exposed to situations that, in previous wars, have not been an issue. In 1994, researchers found that 17% of service men and women returning from Iraq screened positive for generalized anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or alcohol misuse. This is twice the number that screened positive before deployment (Campos, 1994, 28).

Soldiers during the period between pre- and post- deployment periods have been prone to the consumption of alcohol without understanding the risk factors that are associated with it. The consumption of alcohol by the pregnant women is specially on an increasing pace these days. Researchers have estimated between 7% and 40% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have screened positive for depression and anxiety. Many of these veterans who reported alcohol abuse symptoms also reported more posttraumatic stress symptoms (Calkins, 1994, 53). These numbers demonstrate the psychological consequences that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have had on the military personnel involved.

Purpose of the Study

This study is designed to explore the correlation between PTSD symptomology and alcohol abuse in veterans pre and post deployment.

Reason for Study

There is a lack of empirical research regarding the correlation between veterans who experience PTSD symptomology and alcohol abuse pre and post deployment.

Problem Statement

The events that occurred on September 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center and the subsequent military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan will undoubtedly create a surge in the number of new cases of PTSD among military veterans (Burke, 2005, 11). Problems accessing mental health care at the VA and in the private sector will increase exponentially when the secondary effects incurred by family members of veterans with PTSD are considered.

Aims and Objectives

The aim of this research will be to investigate the affect of post traumatic and stress disorder and alcohol abuse on the mental health of the U.S. Military personnel returning from recent deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. The primary objective of this study will be to compare the types of mental health symptoms reported by combat and non-combat U.S. Military personnel on the PDHA. The secondary objective was to explore the variability of these symptoms across various demographic groups; including 1) age, 2) branch of service, 3) gender, 4) grade, and 5) location of deployment.

Hypotheses

H0: There will be no statistically significant difference in alcohol abuse in veteran's population experiencing PTSD symptomology: pre and post deployment.

H1: There will be a statistically significant difference in alcohol abuse in veteran's population experiencing PTSD symptomology: pre and post ...