During deployment, soldiers face situations in which they are not only exposed to violence but also have to perpetrate it themselves. This study investigates the role of soldiers' levels of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and appetitive aggression, that is, a lust for violence, for their engaging in violence during deployment. Furthermore, factors during deployment influencing the level of PTSD symptoms and appetitive aggression after deployment were examined for a better comprehension of the maintenance of violence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 468 Burundian soldiers before and after a 1-year deployment to Somalia. To predict violent acts during deployment (perideployment) as well as appetitive aggression and PTSD symptom severity after deployment (postdeployment), structural equation modeling was utilized. Results showed that the number of violent acts perideployment was predicted by the level of appetitive aggression and by the severity of PTSD hyperarousal symptoms predeployment. In addition to its association with the predeployment level, appetitive aggression postdeployment was predicted by violent acts and trauma exposure perideployment as well as positively associated with unit support. PTSD symptom severity postdeployment was predicted by the severity of PTSD avoidance symptoms predeployment and trauma exposure perideployment, and negatively associated with unit support. This prospective study reveals the importance of appetitive aggression and PTSD hyperarousal symptoms for the engagement in violent acts during deployment, while simultaneously demonstrating how these phenomena may develop in mutually reinforcing cycles in a war setting.

中文翻译：

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作为创伤后应激障碍和食欲攻击的函数的暴力循环：对布隆迪士兵的纵向研究

在部署期间，士兵面临着不仅要遭受暴力而且还必须自己实施暴力的情况。这项研究调查了士兵的创伤后应激障碍 (PTSD) 症状和食欲攻击（即对暴力的渴望）水平对他们在部署期间参与暴力的作用。此外，对部署期间影响 PTSD 症状水平和部署后食欲攻击的因素进行了检查，以便更好地理解暴力的维持。在部署到索马里 1 年之前和之后，对 468 名布隆迪士兵进行了半结构化访谈。为了预测部署期间（部署前）的暴力行为以及部署后（部署后）的食欲攻击和 PTSD 症状严重程度，使用了结构方程模型。结果表明，部署前的暴力行为数量可以通过食欲攻击的水平和部署前 PTSD 过度觉醒症状的严重程度来预测。除了与部署前水平的关联外，部署后的食欲攻击还可以通过暴力行为和创伤暴露来预测，并且与部队支持呈正相关。部署后的 PTSD 症状严重程度由部署前和部署期间的创伤暴露的 PTSD 回避症状的严重程度预测，并与单位支持呈负相关。这项前瞻性研究揭示了食欲攻击和 PTSD 过度觉醒症状对部署期间参与暴力行为的重要性，同时展示了这些现象如何在战争环境中相互强化的循环中发展。