[Psychological strain following foreign assignment - results of an investigation among German soldiers serving in ISAF VII]

Abstract

We present results of an investigation dealing with psychological strain in soldiers following a foreign assignment. There are few studies in German-speaking countries concerned with prevalence of traumatic events and posttraumatic stress disorder in soldiers. A total of 118 soldiers were questioned (age: 20 - 46; 2,6 % female). The following questionnaires were used in the survey: Essener Trauma Inventory (ETI), Posttraumatic Symptom Scale (PTSS-10), Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R), Symptom Check List 27 (SCL-27), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-D) and Breslau's short screening scale for PTSD. Prevalence of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in soldiers following foreign assignment ranged from 0.8 % to 2.5 % depending on the Scale used. 19.5 % had symptoms of depression or dysthymia. 15 % had an alcohol syndrome according to den PHQ-D. Contrary to our expectations the PTSD prevalence was lower than in the general population or other military samples.