Coping with Gulf War combat stress: Mediating and moderating effects

The authors examined relationships between method of coping with combat-rel ated stress and psychological symptoms among Gulf War Army personnel (N = 1 ,058). Participants were surveyed on return From the Gulf region (Time 1) w ith the Coping Responses Inventory (R. Moos, 1990) and a measure of combat exposure. Outcomes were symptom measures of postraumatic stress disorder (P TSD) and depression. At Time 2 (18-24 months) participants completed the sa me symptom measures and an index of postwar stress. Higher proportions of a pproach-based coping in the war zone were related to lower levels of psycho logical symptoms. Combat exposure moderated the effects of coping on Time 1 PTSD. Coping predicted changes in symptoms of depression but not PTSD. Com bat exposure affected changes in depression through postwar stress but had a direct negative effect on PTSD.