The Link Between Somatization and Dissociation and PTSD Severity in Veterans Who Sought Help From the IDF Combat Stress Reaction Unit.

This study investigates the relationships between dissociative and somatic symptoms and their contribution to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity among 1,305 Israeli ex-soldiers who sought help from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Combat Stress Reaction Unit (CSRU). Using self-report measures including the Dissociative Experience Scale (DES), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5), and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS), the study found significant positive associations between somatization, dissociation, and PTSD severity. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that dissociation increased the risk of severe PTSD by over six times and somatization by nearly five times, with longer time elapsed since trauma also linked to greater PTSD severity. The findings highlight that somatic symptoms, often overlooked in PTSD diagnostic criteria, are prevalent among high-functioning combatants and suggest incorporating somatization as a diagnostic consideration for PTSD in military populations.