FEMALE PARTNERS ESTIMATIONS OF MALE VETERANS COMBAT-RELATED PTSD SEVERITY

This study investigated concordance between male Vietnam veterans' and their female partners' reports of veterans' posttraumatic stress diso rder (PTSD) symptoms. Fifty male Vietnam combat veterans and their par tners rated the severity of their own PTSD symptoms. Also, partners ra ted the severity of veterans' symptoms. Results indicated modest level s of agreement in reports of symptom presence/absence. Partner ratings of veterans' PTSD severity were positively correlated with veteran re ports and partners' own self-reported PTSD symptoms. After controlling for veterans' self-reported symptoms, partners' symptoms significantl y predicted their estimates of veterans' avoidance symptoms, but not v eterans' reexperiencing or hyperarousal symptoms. Theoretical and prac tical implications of these findings are discussed.