BACKGROUND: There is growing concern about an alleged rise in violent behaviour amongst military personnel returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of violence in a sample of U.K. military personnel following homecoming from deployment in Iraq and to examine the impact of deployment-related experiences, such as combat trauma, on violence, and the role of sociodemographics and pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour. METHOD: This study used baseline data from a cohort study of a large randomly selected sample of U.K. Armed Forces personnel in service at the time of the Iraq war (2003). Regular personnel (n=4928) who had been deployed to Iraq were included. Data, collected by questionnaire, included information on deployment experiences, sociodemographic and military characteristics, pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, post-deployment health outcomes and a self-report measure of physical violence in the weeks following return from deployment. RESULTS: Prevalence of violence was 12.6%. This was strongly associated with pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9-4.4]. After controlling for pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, sociodemographics and military factors, violence was still strongly associated with holding a combat role (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6-2.5) and having experienced multiple traumatic events on deployment (aOR for four or more traumatic events 3.7, 95% CI 2.5-5.5). Violence on homecoming was also associated with mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (aOR 4.8, 95% CI 3.2-7.2) and alcohol misuse (aOR 3.1, 95% CI 2.5-3.9). CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of combat and trauma during deployment were significantly associated with violent behaviour following homecoming in U.K. military personnel. Post-deployment mental health problems and alcohol misuse are also associated with increased violence.
BACKGROUND: There is growing concern about an alleged rise in violent behaviour amongst military personnel returning from deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of violence in a sample of U.K. military personnel following homecoming from deployment in Iraq and to examine the impact of deployment-related experiences, such as combat trauma, on violence, and the role of sociodemographics and pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour. METHOD: This study used baseline data from a cohort study of a large randomly selected sample of U.K. Armed Forces personnel in service at the time of the Iraq war (2003). Regular personnel (n=4928) who had been deployed to Iraq were included. Data, collected by questionnaire, included information on deployment experiences, sociodemographic and military characteristics, pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, post-deployment health outcomes and a self-report measure of physical violence in the weeks following return from deployment. RESULTS: Prevalence of violence was 12.6%. This was strongly associated with pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 3.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.9-4.4]. After controlling for pre-enlistment antisocial behaviour, sociodemographics and military factors, violence was still strongly associated with holding a combat role (aOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.6-2.5) and having experienced multiple traumatic events on deployment (aOR for four or more traumatic events 3.7, 95% CI 2.5-5.5). Violence on homecoming was also associated with mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (aOR 4.8, 95% CI 3.2-7.2) and alcohol misuse (aOR 3.1, 95% CI 2.5-3.9). CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of combat and trauma during deployment were significantly associated with violent behaviour following homecoming in U.K. military personnel. Post-deployment mental health problems and alcohol misuse are also associated with increased violence.
Authors: Eric B Elbogen; Sally C Johnson; H Ryan Wagner; Connor Sullivan; Casey T Taft; Jean C Beckham Journal: Br J Psychiatry Date: 2014-02-27 Impact factor: 9.319
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Authors: Eric B Elbogen; H Ryan Wagner; Nathan A Kimbrel; Mira Brancu; Jennifer Naylor; Robert Graziano; Eric Crawford Journal: Psychol Assess Date: 2017-06-19
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Authors: A J Rosellini; J Monahan; A E Street; S G Heeringa; E D Hill; M Petukhova; B Y Reis; N A Sampson; P Bliese; M Schoenbaum; M B Stein; R J Ursano; R C Kessler Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2015-10-06 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: Anthony J Rosellini; John Monahan; Amy E Street; Maria V Petukhova; Nancy A Sampson; David M Benedek; Paul Bliese; Murray B Stein; Robert J Ursano; Ronald C Kessler Journal: Am J Prev Med Date: 2017-08-14 Impact factor: 5.043
Authors: A J Rosellini; M B Stein; D M Benedek; P D Bliese; W T Chiu; I Hwang; J Monahan; M K Nock; M V Petukhova; N A Sampson; A E Street; A M Zaslavsky; R J Ursano; R C Kessler Journal: Psychol Med Date: 2017-04-04 Impact factor: 7.723
Authors: Nathan A Kimbrel; Patrick S Calhoun; Eric B Elbogen; Mira Brancu; Jean C Beckham Journal: Psychiatry Res Date: 2014-08-14 Impact factor: 3.222