https://aub.ie/MilitaryREACH-KhalifianCEtAl2022

Khalifian, C. E., Titone, M., Wooldridge, J. S., Knopp, K., Seibert, G., Monson, C., & Morland, L. (2023). The role of veterans’ PTSD symptoms in veteran couples’ insomnia. Family Process, 62(4), 1725-1739. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12835

Using the emotional transmission theory (i.e., emotional experiences from one individual can pass to other family members) as a framework, this study examined how Veterans’ posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms impacted their partners’ sleep patterns. 192 Veterans and their partners (N = 384) completed self-report questionnaires: Veterans reported on their PTSD symptoms (e.g., intrusive thoughts, hyperarousal, negative cognitions and mood), and both partners reported on their depressive symptoms and insomnia (e.g., difficulty falling asleep, satisfaction with sleep patterns). Overall, Veterans’ PTSD symptom severity was related to their own and their partners’ insomnia. Specifically, Veterans who had higher levels of negative cognitions and mood symptoms had partners with more severe depressive symptoms, and these partners, in turn, experienced more severe insomnia.

https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12835

Couples
Mental health
Physical health

Multiple branches

Veteran

Veteran
Spouse of service member or veteran

Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)

Khalifian, Chandra E., Titone, Madison, Wooldridge, Jennalee S., Knopp, Kayla, Seibert, Gregory, Monson, Candice, Morland, Leslie

Insomnia contributes to individual mental and physical health and relationship well-being. Veterans' PTSD symptoms are associated with their own insomnia. However, research has not explored whether and how veterans' PTSD symptoms are associated with their partners' insomnia. The present study examined the association between veterans' PTSD symptom severity and veterans' and partners' insomnia. Veterans (n = 192) and their partners (n = 192; total N = 384) completed baseline assessments in a PTSD treatment study for veterans with PTSD and their partners. Path analysis was used to examine the relation between veterans' PTSD symptom severity, as measured by the PTSD symptom checklist-5 (PCL-5) and veterans' and partners' insomnia, as measured by the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Veterans' full-scale PCL-5 was positively related to veterans' and partners' insomnia. For veterans, intrusion and arousal symptoms were positively related to their own insomnia severity, while veterans' negative alterations in cognition and mood were associated with partners' insomnia severity. In exploratory analyses, partners' depressive symptoms fully mediated the relation between veterans' negative cognitions and mood and partners' insomnia. PTSD symptoms impact both veterans' and partners' insomnia. However, different PTSD symptom clusters were related to insomnia for each partner, and the link for partners was explained by their own depression symptoms. PTSD, insomnia, and integrated treatments should consider strategies for including partners in treatment to address these interconnected problems.

Wiley Online

Article
REACH Publication

Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, CEK
Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, MT
Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, JSW
Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, KK
Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System, LM
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, CEK
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, MT
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, JSW
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, KK
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, GS
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, LM
Ryerson University, CM
National Center for PTSD -Pacific Islands division, LM