An Analysis of Factors Predicting Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Grief Following Comrade Loss.

This study investigates how inhibiting factors related to military bereavement influence post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and grief among Israeli male combat soldiers following the loss of a comrade. Using measures including the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief, PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS), Male Role Norms Scale, Social Acknowledgment Questionnaire (SAQ), and a newly developed Military Encouragement to Grieve scale (MEG-8), the study found that adherence to masculine norms and perceived family disapproval predicted higher PTSD symptoms, while general societal disapproval predicted greater grief. Military encouragement to grieve mediated the relationship between masculinity and social recognition but did not directly affect PTSD or grief levels. The findings highlight distinct "overt" and "covert" cycles in soldiers' bereavement processes, emphasizing the need for military and social systems to recognize and support soldiers' grief alongside trauma symptoms, including extending bereavement support beyond active duty and educating families and communities on empathetic engagement.