Self-efficacy and coping style in Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder

Objective: To examine self-efficacy and coping style in combat-exposed Veterans with and without mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) history and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Veterans (N = 81) were categorized into four groups: comorbid mTBI and PTSD (n = 23), PTSD-only (n = 16), mTBI-only (n = 25), and combat-exposed controls (n = 17). Outcomes included the Self-Efficacy for Symptom Management Scale and the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced.

Results: Significant group effects were found on self-efficacy and coping style, even when adjusting for total mTBIs and psychiatric comorbidities. Post-hoc analyses revealed that the comorbid and PTSD-only groups generally had lower self-efficacy than the mTBI-only and control groups and that the PTSD-only group used less action-focused coping than the mTBI-only and control groups.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that self-efficacy and coping style vary as a function of mTBI history and PTSD status and that it may be important to integrate these malleable factors into interventions for this population.