Relationship between anger, alcoholism and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders in war veterans.

PURPOSE: Studies among veterans indicate that veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) express anger, hostility and aggression as well as alcohol and substance abuse more then veterans without PTSD. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between anger, use of alcohol and symptoms of PTSD in war veterans in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H).

METHOD: Comparing a group of veterans (n = 54) with PTSD who use alcohol and a group of veterans (n = 46) who do not use alcohol, the analyzed were dimensions of anger related to PTSD symptoms and alcohol usage. Medical records of patients treated at the Department for Psychiatry in Tuzla, B&H, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ)--version for Bosnia and Herzegovina, State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), Structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview (SCID-I) were used in this study. The basic socio-demographic data were also collected.

RESULTS

A significant correlation is found between alcohol usage, and state and trait of anger (P < 0.001), angry temperament (P = 0.001), anger-in expression (P < 0.001), anger-out expression (P < 0.001), and anger control (P < 0.001). PTSD hyperarousal cluster symptoms were significantly correlated to state anger, anger-in expression (P < 0.05), and use of alcohol (P = 0.010).

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that there is a significant correlation between PTSD arousal symptom with anger dimensions, as well as between anger dimensions and use of alcohol in war veterans with PTSD.