Post Traumatic Disorders (PTSD) and Growth (PTG) Levels and Their Predictive Factors in Veterans with Spinal Cord Injuries

Background: A significant subset of Iranian individuals with Spinal Cord Injury includes war veterans who sustained traumatic spinal injuries during the 8-year Iran–Iraq war. Understanding the interplay between post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) in individuals with SCI is essential. The present study aims to investigate PTSD and PTG levels and their predictive factors in veterans with spinal cord injuries, compared to civilian individuals with similar conditions. Methods: This Case-control study was conducted with veterans with Spinal Cord Injuries (SCI) and civilians with SCI in Tehran-Iran. For the data collection related to veterans with SCI, the questionnaires were provided to the spinal cord injury center serving the veterans. Demographic information of study participants were collected using a checklist. PTSD and PTG among study participants were assessed with the military version of the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder checklist and the PTG questionnaire respectively. General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), WHOQOL-BREF and Spiritual Intelligence Self-Report Inventory (SISRI) were used for assess general health and participants' quality of life and spiritual intelligence respectively. Findings: There was no significant difference in the frequency of PTSD and PTG between veterans and non-veterans. There was a statistically significant difference between veterans and non-veterans with spinal cord injuries in terms of quality of life, general health, and spiritual intelligence (P=0.031). Conclusion: study findings showed that, veterans exhibited PTSD and PTG levels similar to those of non-veterans with spinal cord injuries caused by non-military events, suggesting a substantial degree of psychological recovery and adjustment among the veterans.