Subthreshold Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a Predictor of Depression, Alcohol Use, and Health Problems in Veterans

SUMMARY Veterans who meet DSM-IV criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience comorbid depression, alcohol use, and poor health. Recent research suggests that some patients who express subclinical PTSD symptoms may be at risk for similar problems. The purpose of this study is to forecast comorbidities in patients who have classic or subclinical PTSD. Participants were 1,968 previously deployed male and female peacekeepers who completed a battery of questionnaires, including measures of PTSD symptoms, depression, alcohol use, and physical health. Logistic regression was used to forecast alcohol, depression and health problems in groups of veterans with classic, subclinical, or no PTSD. Findings suggest that subthreshold PTSD can also be comorbid alcoholism, depression, and poor health but is not as strong of an indicator as classic PTSD.