Inpatient Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

This study is an extension of previous research on distinctions among Vietnam combat veterans and other similar veterans. Efforts were made to distinguish among three types of inpatient veterans: (a) those with a diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and combat experience; (b) those with a diagnosis other than PTSD and with combat experience; and (c) non-PTSD, noncombat patients. Two hundred Vietnam-era veterans were administered an assessment battery within 2 weeks of admission. The battery included background variables, preservice ratings, service ratings, current adjustment ratings, and psychometric variables. Results showed no differences among the groups on premorbid variables. PTSD veterans, however, responded in a more pathological direction on psychometric and adjustment variables. A discriminant analysis using these variables correctly classified 85% of the veterans in the three groups. Also, the PTSD of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory subscale was cross-validated. Last, for the total combat veterans group, time spent in combat was highly correlated with a variety of PTSD variables.