Impaired Fear Inhibition and Early Life Trauma in Veterans with PTSD: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Objective: One of the learning theories for the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) suggests that individuals have difficulty in inhibiting fear under safety conditions. In addition, other factors such as prior exposure to traumatic events have been found to play a major role in the risk for developing the disorder. PTSD is a common disorder among veterans and offering the right treatment is essential. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate if there is robust evidence for fear inhibition in veterans and to explore if fear inhibition is related to early life trauma, leading to a possible prevention of the disorder in this population and to the design of more effective interventions. Data Sources: The database PubMed was searched for studies referring to learning theories of PTSD in veterans and 2165 articles were screened. Study Selection: Four studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the analysis with a total number of 1378 participants. Results: Data synthesis revealed no significant results regarding impaired fear inhibition (-.85) and its association with early life trauma (.65). Conclusion: No evidence was found to support the hypotheses that veterans with PTSD exhibit impaired fear inhibition and that this is affected by early life trauma.