Unacknowledged Casualties of the Vietnam War: Experiences of Partners of New Zealand Veterans

The negative aftermath of combat experience on the lives of military personnel has been widely documented. The limited research conducted on the psychological impact of traumatic experiences on soldiers' partners and families also demonstrates substantial adverse effects. This research has provided predominantly quantitative accounts of these effects. The present study involved a qualitative exploration of family functioning and interpersonal relationships as reported by five women partners of Vietnam veterans. The following three broad themes were identified from the interview transcripts: experience (what the situation and interpersonal communication was like); meaning (of being in a veteran's family); and understanding it all (explanations of why it took the form it did). Several subthemes were also identified under the first two of these major themes. These results are discussed in relation to posttraumatic stress disorder, family functioning, and the nature of the response appropriate for families in these situations.