Participants wanted for PTSD-and-families research

University of New England researcher Helen Thomas is currently undertaking a research study into the effects of PTSD on the families of combat veterans and is looking for volunteers to participate.

Her project is – post-traumatic growth and secondary traumatisation in the partners of post-traumatic stress disorder affected combat veterans.

“I would like to invite combat veterans and their partner to participate in a study about the effects for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on the partners of combat veterans and the existence of post-traumatic growth, the positive psychological changes that some people experience as a result of being exposed to a traumatic situation,: she said.

“Research shows that PTSD in combat veterans is strongly related to secondary trauma in their partners.

“Secondary trauma occurs when a person who is close to the sufferer of trauma also begin to suffer trauma-like symptoms.

“Secondary trauma has been shown to negatively affect general health and well-being.

“Personal growth from trauma (post-traumatic growth) can occur after a person has suffered trauma, the effects can promote psychological well-being.

“By knowing what promotes this growth it will be possible to better understand how to help Australian combat veterans and their families to manage traumatic deployments.

“The aim of this study is to try to determine what factors go into the development of post-traumatic growth.”

Helen Thomas said she anticipates this research will be completed by December, 2017 and that results may be presented or written up in journals without any identifying information.

“I am requesting your help in reaching out to veterans and their families to take part in this valuable research.

“This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of New England.

“I would be most grateful if you could help me to circulate this request.

“The more veteran families who take part in the study the greater the power of the results.”

 

Find an explanatory introduction to the study here
and an information sheet here.

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Posted by Brian Hartigan

Managing Editor Contact Publishing Pty Ltd PO Box 3091 Minnamurra NSW 2533 AUSTRALIA

3 thoughts on “Participants wanted for PTSD-and-families research

  • 05/08/2017 at 3:00 pm
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    The impact with living with someone with PTSD, is a very mental and physical hardship. Suicide attemps and just not knowing what mood the suffering person may be in.
    I am forever in the tread carefully mode.
    I use to ask myself”do I phone?”D0 I go around?is it showing that lack of trust..?
    I now live at my sons place, I still get “you don’t understand”
    And “I wish you had never found me”
    Not as often but still there.

    Reply
    • 06/08/2017 at 1:23 am
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      I hear you Karen. Since even before my discharge up until when they let me go, my long suffering wife and children have had to sacrifice so much to get me back on track. So, fast forward three years to the present day, now it’s my wife’s turn to battle her demons. She now lives with her mother but we hope to get back together eventually. Our children have had their coping dramas as well. We knew that there would be secondary PTSD, it was only a question of when…. from my time in the veterans ward 17, I learned of a book called ” Walking on Egg Shells”. So I gave my wife a copy, which pretty much describes it to a “T”… Our youngest son facing he’s battles was the catalyst for my wife and I to seperate. Watching this insidious thing PTSD tear your family apart. Never mind my anger, frustration, PTSD, OCD, MDD, rage, psychotic episodes etc, etc. To watch a young boy change into an angry time bomb just waiting to go off…. and that’s exactly what happened, that, that’s so very confronting, heart wrenching. But I am pleased to say that where there is love, a will to survive, then there is hope! Good luck xx

      Reply
  • 05/08/2017 at 9:25 am
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    shame,we need someone to do a study on war veteran children,the ones that had no help while growing up,we are now in our 50,s and the impact is getting harder,

    Reply

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