The mediating role of transdiagnostic factors on the negative mental health outcomes of combat-exposed soldiers

Date of Publication

10-2019

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychology Major in Clinical Psychology

Subject Categories

Clinical Psychology

College

College of Liberal Arts

Department/Unit

Psychology

Thesis Adviser

Maria Caridad H. Tarroja

Abstract/Summary

Various studies have investigated several mental health problems linked to being exposed to combat but only a few have stressed the comorbidity of PTSD, depression and anxiety as outcomes in combat-exposed individuals and have emphasized the factors behind it. A hypothesis that can give light to this comorbidity is that psychological disorders co-occur because they share maintaining processes termed as ‘transdiagnostic’. Repetitive negative thinking (RNT) and distress tolerance (DT) are transdiagnostic factors observed to be present in various psychological conditions. This study aimed to investigate whether RNT and DT play a role on the possible co-occurrence of negative mental health outcomes among combat-exposed soldiers. Using 103 soldiers from the Philippine Army deployed during the Marawi Siege, the results show that those with greater exposure to combat had comorbid negative mental health outcomes and had fairly high symptom severity. However, only RNT mediates the relationship between combat exposure and negative mental health outcomes. Results suggest that repetitively ruminating about negative combat experiences leads to the development and maintenance of comorbid symptoms of PTSD, depression and anxiety.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Accession Number

CDTG008179

Keywords

Distress (Psychology); Post-traumatic stress disorder; Soldiers—Mental health

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Embargo Period

2-11-2025

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