This document outlines a study that aims to examine how combat exposure relates to PTSD in female veterans, and how PTSD then impacts marital satisfaction and intimacy. It hypothesizes that higher combat exposure leads to increased PTSD; higher PTSD negatively affects marriage; and avoidant attachment styles correlate with higher PTSD and lower marital well-being. The methodology involves surveying married female combat veterans, excluding those with dual-military or military sexual trauma histories, about their combat exposure, PTSD, attachment styles, and relationship satisfaction.

4. Statement of the
Problem
• Wars 2002 until today
• Operation Enduring Freedom
• Operation Iraqi Freedom
• Operation New Dawn

5. Statement of the
Problem
• Most research focuses on:
• Male is the Veteran with a female, civilian
spouse
• Vietnam Era Veterans
• Little research on how combat affects women
• Female Veterans are understudied
• Marry more frequently than civilians
• Divorce rates are higher than civilians

6. Literature Review
• Combat Exposure
• Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
• Emotional Numbing
• Interpersonal Violence
• Marital Satisfaction
• Intimacy

7. Literature Review Cont
• Additional Factors
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Marring young
Personality type
Pre military trauma
Dual Military Marriages
Military Sexual Trauma

8. Purpose of the Study
• Clarify how levels of combat exposure
correlate with formation of PTSD
• How does PTSD affect marital satisfaction and
intimacy?
• Does attachment style predict formation of
PTSD and later lower levels of marital
satisfaction and intimacy

9. Hypothesis
• 1. Higher levels of combat exposure result in
increased levels of PTSD
• 2. High PTSD symptoms negatively affect
marital satisfaction and intimacy
• 3. Avoidant attachment styles will correlate
with higher levels of PTSD and lower marital
satisfaction and intimacy

10. Method
• Participants
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Female
Combat Veteran
Married to a civilian
Screen out
• Dual Military
• Military Sexual Trauma
• Recruitment
• Snowball (VSOs, e-mailing, newsletters, word of
mouth)

11. Method cont.
• Measures
• PCL-M: Posttraumatic stress disorder checklist
military version
• CES: Combat Exposure Scale
• ECR-R: The Experiences in Close RelationshipsRevised Questionnaire
• RAS: Relationship assessment scale