Received: 29 October 2018 | Revised: 4 January 2019 | Accepted: 21 February 2019 DOI: 10.1002/ab.21827 RESEARCH ARTICLE Direct and indirect relationships among posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, hostility, anger, and verbal and physical aggression in returning veterans Vinnu Bhardwaj1,5 | Abigail C. Angkaw2,4 | Massimo Franceschetti1,5 | Ramesh Rao1,5 | Dewleen G. Baker2,3,4 1Qualcomm Institute, University of California, San Diego, CA Abstract 2Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare Hostility, anger, and aggression are conceptually related but unique constructs found System, San Diego, CA to occur more often among veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than 3VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health, San Diego, CA among civilians or veterans without PTSD. However, the pathways between PTSD, 4Department of Psychiatry, University of depression, hostility, anger, and aggression have not been comprehensively California, San Diego, CA characterized. Therefore, drawing on a sample of returning Operation Enduring 5Department of ECE, University of California, San Diego, CA Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom combat veterans (N = 175; 95% male; mean age 30 years), this study sought to examine the direct and indirect relationships among Correspondence Dewleen G. Baker, VA San Diego Healthcare PTSD, depression, hostility, anger, and four types of aggression: verbal, and physical System, 3350 La Jolla Village Drive, MC 116A, toward self, others, and objects. Functional modeling of direct effects was done using San Diego, CA 92161. ‐ Email:
[email protected] multiple least squares regression and bootstrapped mediation analyses were carried out to test indirect effects. Results indicate that PTSD is not the overall direct Funding information VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental contributor to different forms of aggression, supporting the mediating role of Health; Qualcomm Institute; VA CSR&D depression and trait anger.