Depression as a Predictor of Pain and Physical Role Limitation in Military Personnel

ABSTRACT

Military personnel frequently report various physical and psychological complaints including somatic symptoms, bodily pain, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and physical role limitation. This study aimed to identify how psychological symptoms, somatic complaints, and physical role limitations are associated with each other in a sample of 207 male Air Force pararescue personnel and combat rescue officers. Results of a moderated mediation model indicated that the interaction of depression and somatic symptoms was associated with significantly more severe pain, which was, in turn, associated with greater physical role limitations. Pathways from posttraumatic stress disorder and the depression-by-somatic symptoms interaction to physical role limitation were both fully mediated by bodily pain. These findings (a) highlight the importance of assessing physical and psychological symptoms when individuals report impaired physical role limitation and (b) help to clarify the complex interplay of emotional and physical health conditions among elite military personnel.

KEYWORDS:

• PTSD
• depression
• pain
• disability
• military personnel
• path model
• somatic symptoms
• special operations
• mental health
• psychosomatic symptoms