ABSTRACT

Research has shown that military combat experience can shape later mental health in a negative fashion and increase subsequent antisocial behaviors. Limited research to date has attempted to explore if military combat experience is related to antisocial behaviors because it increases the likelihood of negative mental health states. Using general strain theory (GST) as a guide, the current study offers a preliminary test of how military combat experience, negative mental health, with a focus on depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and antisocial behavior, with a focus on criminal behavior, might relate together in a single theoretically informed model. Results from the Add Health sample suggest that military combat experience correlates with depressive symptoms, PTSD, and crime. Further, results suggest that PTSD, but not depressive symptoms, could potentially act as a mediator between military combat experience and subsequent criminal behavior. Implications for theory and policy are discussed.

摘要

研究表明，军事战斗经验可能以负面的方式影响后来的心理健康，并增加随后的反社会行为。迄今为止，有限的研究试图探索军事战斗经验是否与反社会行为有关，因为它增加了负面心理健康状态的可能性。本研究以一般应变理论（GST）为指导，对军事战斗经验，负面心理健康（重点是抑郁症状和创伤后应激障碍（PTSD））以及反社会行为（重点在于如何）进行了初步测试。犯罪行为，可能在单一的理论依据模型中联系在一起。Add Health样本的结果表明，军事战斗经验与抑郁症状，PTSD和犯罪相关。此外，结果表明PTSD，但并非抑郁症状，可能会在军事战斗经验和随后的犯罪行为之间起到调解作用。讨论了对理论和政策的影响。