@article{ref1,
title="Family problems among recently returned military veterans referred for a mental health evaluation",
journal="Journal of clinical psychiatry",
year="2009",
author="Sayers, Steven L. and Farrow, Victoria A. and Ross, John and Oslin, David W.",
volume="70",
number="2",
pages="163-170",
abstract="CONTEXT: Existing evidence suggests that military veterans with mental health disorders have poorer family functioning, although little research has focused on this topic. OBJECTIVE: To test whether psychiatric symptoms are associated with family reintegration problems in recently returned military veterans. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey of a clinical population. Respondents who were referred to behavioral health evaluation from April 2006 through August 2007 were considered for the survey. SETTING: Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Pa. PARTICIPANTS: 199 military veterans who served in Iraq or Afghanistan after 2001 and were referred for behavioral health evaluation from primary care (mean age = 32.7 years, SD = 9.1). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measures included the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for psychiatric diagnoses, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression diagnosis and severity, and screening measures of alcohol abuse and illicit substance use. A measure of military family readjustment problems and a screening measure of domestic abuse were developed for this study. RESULTS: Three fourths of the married/cohabiting veterans reported some type of family problem in the past week, such as feeling like a guest in their household (40.7%), reporting their children acting afraid or not being warm toward them (25.0%), or being unsure about their family role (37.2%). Among veterans with current or recently separated partners, 53.7% reported conflicts involving &quot;shouting, pushing, or shoving,&quot; and 27.6% reported that this partner was &quot;afraid of them.&quot; Depression and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms were both associated with higher rates of family reintegration problems. CONCLUSIONS: Mental health problems may complicate veterans' readjustment and reintegration into family life. The findings suggest an opportunity to improve the treatment of psychiatric disorders by addressing family problems.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0160-6689",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}