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The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military

Publication ,  Journal Article
Lea, CR; Oliver, RJP; Smothers, Z; Boucher, NA; Youssef, NA; Ames, D; Volk, F; Teng, EJ; Koenig, HG
Published in: Military Behavioral Health
July 3, 2019

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity and pain is well known in veterans and active duty military (V/ADM). This study examines the buffering effect of religiosity on that relationship. A multisite study was conducted involving 585 V/ADM from across the United States. Multidimensional measures of religiosity, PTSD symptoms, depression/anxiety were administered, along with physical pain on a 0 to 10 visual analog scale. Bivariate and multivariate relationships were examined, along with the moderating effects of religiosity. PTSD symptoms were significantly related to pain level (r = 0.44), a relationship that was only slightly weaker among highly religious (r = 0.34) vs. nonhighly religious (r = 0.48). In multivariate analyses, the interaction between religiosity and PTSD severity on pain was not significant, although stratified analyses indicated a somewhat weaker relationship between PTSD severity and pain in the highly religious (B = 0.03, SE =0.01, t = 2.28, p = 0.02) compared to those who were not (B = 0.06, SE =0.01, t = 6.55, p < 0.0001). Likewise, effects of pain on PTSD symptoms appeared weaker in the highly religious (B = 0.67, SE =0.37, t = 1.80, p = 0.07) compared to others (B = 1.32, SE =0.25, t = 5.34, p < 0.0001). Conclusion: This study provides only minimal evidence that high religious involvement may buffer the effects of PTSD symptoms on pain and vice-versa.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Military Behavioral Health

DOI

EISSN

2163-5803

ISSN

2163-5781

Publication Date

July 3, 2019

Volume

7

Issue

3

Start / End Page

327 / 335

Related Subject Headings

  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Lea, C. R., Oliver, R. J. P., Smothers, Z., Boucher, N. A., Youssef, N. A., Ames, D., … Koenig, H. G. (2019). The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military. Military Behavioral Health, 7(3), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2018.1526149
Lea, C. R., R. J. P. Oliver, Z. Smothers, N. A. Boucher, N. A. Youssef, D. Ames, F. Volk, E. J. Teng, and H. G. Koenig. “The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military.” Military Behavioral Health 7, no. 3 (July 3, 2019): 327–35. https://doi.org/10.1080/21635781.2018.1526149.
Lea CR, Oliver RJP, Smothers Z, Boucher NA, Youssef NA, Ames D, et al. The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military. Military Behavioral Health. 2019 Jul 3;7(3):327–35.
Lea, C. R., et al. “The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military.” Military Behavioral Health, vol. 7, no. 3, July 2019, pp. 327–35. Scopus, doi:10.1080/21635781.2018.1526149.
Lea CR, Oliver RJP, Smothers Z, Boucher NA, Youssef NA, Ames D, Volk F, Teng EJ, Koenig HG. The Moderating Effect of Religious Involvement on the Relationship Between PTSD Symptoms and Physical Pain in U.S. Veterans and Active Duty Military. Military Behavioral Health. 2019 Jul 3;7(3):327–335.

Published In

Military Behavioral Health

DOI

EISSN

2163-5803

ISSN

2163-5781

Publication Date

July 3, 2019

Volume

7

Issue

3

Start / End Page

327 / 335

Related Subject Headings

  • 5201 Applied and developmental psychology