Abstract

This study examined the influence of combat exposure on PTSD among military combatants in the North Eastern part of Nigeria. A total of 249 respondents participated in the study through a purposive sampling technique. Participants include both officers and men of the Nigerian army on the operation LAFIA DOLE. An ex-post facto design was employed in the study. It was hypothesized that religious affiliation and combat exposure would have a significant interaction effect on PTSD which was not significant (3, 249) 295.187=P>0.05). Religious affiliation was found to be significant on PTSD (1, 249) = 1485.215P<0.05), and combat exposure found to be significant on PTSD (3, 249) 3092.335= 130.206, P<0.05. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that religious affiliation would have a significant main effect on Avoidance symptoms and re-experiencing symptoms; and both turned out to be significant, with F (1,249) 228.546 = P<0.05) for avoidance and (1,249) 168.379 = P<0.05 for re-experiencing symptoms respectively. Religious affiliation was found not to be significant on hyperarousal symptoms (1, 249)109.091= P>0.05.There is a need for combatants’ religious coping options to be buffered, this would help in stress buffer and other self-management techniques inherent in their cultural values.

Keywords

religious,affiliation, combat exposure, PTSD, military, combatants, Nigeria, human cognition, behavior, emotion, conflict, natural and human-made disasters, assault, life-threatening illnesses, social support, life stress, trauma severity, childhood abuse