Combat exposure increases:
- Symptoms of distress & PTSD 
- Insomnia severity 

Age must be taken also be used as a control when evaluating mental health symptoms of disorders such as PTSD.

Saint Louis University

Restrictive emotionality (RE) in men who have been exposed to military sexual trauma (MST) has been found by researchers to exacerbate self-reported symptoms of PTSD, depression, and insomnia. This study pushes to incorporate the evaluation of RE in clinical assessments so clinicians can best determine how to treat male veterans suffering from trauma.

Background of Study

Rivera, L. A., Liang, C. T. H., Johnson, N. L., & Chakravorty, S. (2022). Military sexual trauma: Exploring the moderating role of restrictive emotionality among male veterans. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 14(3), 410–420. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000647

Military Sexual Trauma: Exploring the Moderating Role of Restrictive Emotionality Among Male Veterans

Having difficulty and fears about expressing one's feelings.

Restrictive Emotionality 

- Endorsement of stoicism
- Emphasis on outward appearance of stability/preparedness
- Proximity/roles of survivors to their perpetrators

Military Traits which Negatively Impact Survivors of MST

- Greater experience of depression & PTSD symptoms
- Higher likelihood of having a mood disorder
- Higher endorsement of suicidal ideation 
- Moderate to severe insomnia

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