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Associations among personality, combat exposure and wartime atrocities.

2012; American Psychological Association; Volume: 2; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1037/a0026903

2152-0828

Darren W. Holowka, Erika J. Wolf, Brian P. Marx, Kristen M. Foley, Danny G. Kaloupek, Terence M. Keane,

Migration, Health and Trauma

VA National Center for PTSD; VA Boston Healthcare System, Boston, MA; Boston UniversitySchool of MedicineObjective: The commission of wartime atrocities is a phenomenon known to occuramong military personnel deployed to war zones. Although some research hasexamined the psychological sequelae to these events, there is virtually no researchon the causes or correlates of such behavior. The present study examined associ-ations among personality variables, combat exposure, and witnessing or participat-ing in wartime atrocities during the Vietnam War. Method: One thousand onehundred and four Army and Marine veterans of the Vietnam War completedself-report measures that assessed personality, combat exposure, and participationin atrocities. Structural equation modeling was used to test a model in whichcombat exposure mediated the association between personality and participation inatrocities. Results: Combat exposure was strongly associated with self-reportedparticipation in atrocities and fully mediated the association between trait aggres-sion and participation in atrocities. Combat exposure was also shown to partiallymediate the association between trait neuroticism and atrocities but evidenced norelationship with trait disconstraint. Disconstraint showed only a direct associationwith participation in atrocities. Conclusions: Personality and exposure to heavycombat should be considered not only risk factors for physical or mental illness, butalso important risk factors for the commission of atrocities. Longitudinal researchon risk factors for the commission of atrocities is needed, with a focus on thoseservice members tasked with more dangerous assignments. Military commandersmay wish to pay close attention to units under greater combat stress and to continueto devote resources to screening and treatment of members of these units.Keywords: