Study Links Life Purpose to Sustained Functioning in US Veterans

A new study led by National Center for PTSD and Yale researchers analyzed data from a large, population-based sample of US military veterans to identify factors — both positive and negative — associated with mental, physical, psychosocial, and cognitive functioning.

"We have a general understanding of factors that can adversely affect functioning, such as chronic medical conditions, sleep problems, and PTSD symptoms. There is also evidence that positive psychological traits, such as purpose in life and optimism, can help bolster functioning. However, little is known about whether certain vulnerability or resilience factors matter more for specific kinds of functioning, or whether they interact to shape functioning,” said lead author Ian C. Fischer, PhD, clinical psychologist and postdoctoral fellow with Yale's Department of Psychiatry and the National Center for PTSD.

Learn more about the results of the study in this article.