Chronic identity diffusion in traumatized combat veterans

The traumatic effects of combat are elaborated as having long lasting deleterious effects on veterans. The modal age of combat duty for these veterans is seen as coinciding with Erikson’s postulated stage of psychosocial development, when identity is hypothesized to be crystallizing. The spectrum of resulting symptoms and problems are conceptualized within the rubric of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. The persistent identity diffusion with which these veterans present is addressed within the theoretical framework of psychosocial development. Treatment implications are discussed.