Study: Gender Differences in Combat-Related Stressors and Their Association With Postdeployment Mental Health in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. OEF/OIF Veterans

Gender Differences in Combat-Related Stressors and Their Association With Postdeployment Mental Health in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. OEF/OIF Veterans

Abstract

Though the broader literature suggests that women may be more vulnerable to the effects of trauma exposure, most available studies on combat trauma have relied on samples in which women’s combat exposure is limited and analyses that do not directly address gender differences in associations between combat exposure and postdeployment mental health. Female service members’ increased exposure to combat in Afghanistan and Iraq provides a unique opportunity to evaluate gender differences in different dimensions of combatrelated stress and associated consequence for postdeployment mental health. The current study addressed these research questions in a representative sample of female and male U.S. veterans who had returned from deployment to Afghanistan or Iraq within the previous year. As expected, women reported slightly less exposure than men to most combat-related stressors, but higher exposure to other stressors (i.e., prior life stress, deployment sexual harassment). No gender differences were observed in reports of perceived threat in the war zone. Though it was hypothesized that combat-related stressors would demonstrate stronger negative associations with postdeployment mental health for women, only one of 16 stressor
gender interactions achieved statistical significance and an evaluation of the clinical significance of these interactions revealed that effects were trivial. Results suggest that female Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom service members may be as resilient to combat-related stress as men. Future research is needed to evaluate gender differences in the longer-term effects of combat exposure.

Women Warriors Show Resilience Similar to Men

From the press release:

WASHINGTON—Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. 

Men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 experienced very similar levels of combat-related stress and post-deployment mental health impacts during the first year following return from deployment, researchers reported in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology, published by APA.

The findings are particularly significant given the recent call for the Pentagon to reverse its longstanding policy that bars women from ground combat, Vogt said. As of 2009, more than 750 women had been wounded or killed in action during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the paper states.

The research was based on survey responses from 595 service members drawn from a random sample from the Defense Manpower Data Center roster. It included 340 women and 252 men from active duty, National Guard, and Reserve forces. The women, on average, were three years younger and more likely to belong to a racial/ethnic minority group.  The men were more likely to be married, living with children, have higher incomes and to have served in the Marine Corps during their deployment. 

Researchers used stress measures that included exposure to combat involving firing a weapon, being fired on, and witnessing injury and death; experiencing consequences of combat, such as observing or handling human remains and dealing with detainees; enduring difficult living situations in the war zone; and fearing for one’s safety and well-being.

As expected, men reported more exposure to combat and battle aftermath, as well as difficult living conditions. “The fact that these differences were relatively small, however, suggests that women’s exposure to these stressors in [Iraq and Afghanistan] may be, on average, only slightly lower than men’s exposure on average,” the study states.

Few gender differences were reported in post-deployment mental health. Specifically, levels of post-traumatic stress, mental health functioning, and depression were similar, though scores on substance abuse were higher for men than women.

The findings could reflect improved training of female service members in recent years and that combat duty may equalize risk due to its persistent level of threat, according to the study.