Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Identifier

2625

Date

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Psychology

Concentration

Clinical Psychology

Committee Chair

Meghan E McDevitt-Murphy

Committee Member

James G Murphy

Committee Member

Helen J Sable

Abstract

Research indicates that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is strongly associated with physical health difficulties, and that social support may be protective for both problems. Social support, however, is often broadly conceptualized. The present analysis explores how Veteran-specific social support (related to deployment and postdeployment) may moderate the relationship between PTSD and physical health functioning. Participants were recruited from a VA Medical Center. Self-report data was analyzed from 63 Veterans (17.46% female; 42.86% White) who had been deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND). Data indicate that deployment social support moderated the relationship between PTSD and pain (β = .02, p = .02) while postdeployment social support moderated the relationship between PTSD and general health perceptions (β = .03, p = .01). These findings may be used to better understand the role of support in influencing psychological and physiological processes.

Comments

Data is provided by the student.

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to the local University of Memphis Electronic Theses & dissertation (ETD) Repository.

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