Limitations of benefit finding as a coping mechanism for combat-related PTSD symptoms
- Wood, M. D., Foran, H. M., & Britt, T. W. (2023). Limitations of benefit finding as a coping mechanism for combat-related PTSD symptoms. Military Psychology, 35(3), 233-244. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2112884
- Benefit finding is a cognitive coping strategy in which a person acknowledges adverse life events and values them for the growth they derived from the events. For example, a Service member might perceive benefits from a combat deployment (e.g., they bonded with unit members and learned new skills). This study examined whether benefit finding buffered the relationship between combat exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among active-duty Soldiers who recently returned from combat deployment. Soldiers completed questionnaires 4 months and/or 9 months after deployment. At 4 months post-deployment, greater combat exposure was linked to more PTSD symptoms, but the strength of that relationship was less salient among Soldiers who engaged in more benefit finding (i.e., benefit finding buffered some of the impact of combat exposure). This protective effect was not apparent at 9 months post-deployment.
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