Rorschach Measures of Posttraumatic Stress in Persian Gulf War Veterans: A Three-Year Follow-Up Study

Abstract

The long-term psychological effects of war-related stress were assessed with the Rorschach 3 years after the Persian Gulf War. Rorschach data are presented for 30 U.S. Marine reservists at a 3-year follow-up who reported experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress (PTS) initially after Operation Desert Storm (ODS), and for 25 Marine reservist controls who did not participate in ODS. Results showed significant differences over time between the initial evaluation data and follow-up, and between initial evaluation and the control group on selected Rorschach variables associated with coping ability and PTS. Scores associated with acute distress, capacity for coping and control, and feeling overwhelmed all were found to significantly decrease over time. These findings are discussed in relation to the assessment and understanding of PTS symptomatology over time.

Rorschach patterns of response in Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder versus combat and normal controls

“…We have found that PTSD subjects access combatrelated imagery (CC) more readily than their counterparts, replicating the results of Sloan et al [1996]. However, it is notable that few subjects appear to be overly distracted by these images.…”

“…To index traumatic preoccupation, we used two variables proposed in previous Rorschach studies of PTSD. Following Sloan et al [1995Sloan et al [ , 1996, we assigned Combat Content (CC) to responses that included one of the following criteria: 1) articles of war/weapons; 2) military apparel; 3) an object that has been shot, stabbed, or blown up; 4) personalized experience of combat operations; and 5) animals, vegetation, geographical features associated with the Vietnam War theater of operations. Additionally we used Burch's [1993] combat-related content index [(Bl + An + Hd + Fi + Ex)/R], a summary score calculated for each subject, derived from existing Exner variables.…”

“…On this variable, the mean for PTSD subjects (.23) fell beneath that of combat controls (.41), and the authors viewed this finding as evidence that PTSD sufferers lack the ego functions (M) necessary to symbolically integrate affective experience, and tend instead to become overwhelmed by emotional situations. Sloan et al [1996] used the Rorschach to assess 30 Marine reservists who reported experiencing PTSD symptoms (though not full-blown PTSD) after Operation Desert Storm (ODS). When compared with Marine reservist controls, the symptomatic group showed evidence of poor affect modulation (low FC:CF + C), low stress tolerance (low D, Adj D; elevated m, Y), poor reality testing (low X+%, elevated Xu%), and traumatic preoccupation (elevated CC).…”

Rorschach Assessment in Child Custody Case

“…Hypervigilance is identified by a positive Hypervigilance Index (HVI), which suggests a cautious, mistrustful approach to people and events, preferably at a distance rather than up close. Further information about these and other Rorschach variables commonly associated with traumatic stress disorder is provided by Armstrong and Kaser-Boyd (2004), Holaday (2000), Luxenberg and Levin (2004), Sloan, Arsenault, and Hilsenroth (2002), and Sloan, Arsenault, Hilsenroth, Handler, and Harvill (1996).…”

Assessing Effects of National Trauma on Adaptive Functioning of Mentally Healthy Adults: An Exploratory Rorschach Study

“…These findings demonstrate how coping is undetermined by the acute and chronic management of intrusive thoughts and sense of helplessness that constitute substantial factors in traumatic experience (Wilson & Keane, 1997). Furthermore, Sloan, Arsenault, Hilsenroth, Handler, and Harvill (1996) found that the signifycantly lowered D and AdjD scores of those exposed to war stressors disappeared in a follow-up study conducted three years after the initial collection of data.…”