{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,23]],"date-time":"2026-10-23T10:28:04Z","timestamp":1792751284637,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":48,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]],"date-time":"2024-02-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1707868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec001\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Traumatic life events can have a profound impact on the physical and psychological wellbeing of not only those who directly experience them, but others who are indirectly affected, such as victims\u2019 partners.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec002\">\n<jats:title>Aims<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This study aimed to explore the experiences and views of partners of individuals who have a history of trauma and diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec003\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with six partners of people who had experienced trauma and were diagnosed with PTSD and awaiting or receiving treatment at a specialist Trauma Service. The data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec004\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>One overarching theme resulted from the data: partners experienced trauma and PTSD as an ongoing journey of loss and gain. This was supported by three superordinate themes: making sense of the trauma and ensuing consequences, shifting identities, and accessing and experiencing outside resources. Partners\u2019 journeys were characterised by striving and struggling to make sense of the trauma and its ensuing consequences, whilst grappling with the identities of themselves, their partners and relationships shifting over time. Participants navigated their journeys in the context of external resources and support from friends, family, colleagues and professionals.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec005\">\n<jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>The results of this study highlight the need for greater information and support for partners of people with PTSD.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0292315","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]],"date-time":"2024-02-14T18:23:13Z","timestamp":1707934993000},"page":"e0292315","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Partners\u2019 experiences of their loved ones\u2019 trauma and PTSD: An ongoing journey of loss and gain"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7539-9672","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Rosie","family":"Powling","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dora","family":"Brown","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sahra","family":"Tekin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jo","family":"Billings","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]]},"reference":[{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0292315.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"748","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-006X.68.5.748","article-title":"Meta-analysis of risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma-exposed adults","volume":"68","author":"CR Brewin","year":"2000","journal-title":"Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1037\/0033-2909.129.1.52","article-title":"Predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder and symptoms in adults: A meta-analysis","volume":"129","author":"EJ Ozer","year":"2003","journal-title":"Psychological Bulletin"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0292315.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1016\/S1359-1789(03)00045-4","article-title":"Psychological sequelae of combat violence: A review of the impact of PTSD on the veteran\u2019s family and possible interventions","volume":"9","author":"T Galovski","year":"2004","journal-title":"Aggression and Violent Behavior"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.1177\/1078390313516998","article-title":"An integrative review of the mental health of partners of veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder","volume":"20","author":"T Yambo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0292315.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"725","DOI":"10.1080\/026990500413759","article-title":"Secondary traumatization among wives of PTSD and post-concussion casualties: Distress, caregiver burden and psychological separation","volume":"14","author":"B Arzi","year":"2000","journal-title":"Brain Injury"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1037\/fam0000163","article-title":"Secondary traumatization of partners of war veterans: The role of boundary ambiguity","volume":"30","author":"R Dekel","year":"2016","journal-title":"Journal of Family Psychology"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"344","DOI":"10.1037\/0893-3200.21.3.344","article-title":"The impact of individual trauma symptoms of deployed soldiers on relationship satisfaction","volume":"21","author":"BS Nelson Goff","year":"2007","journal-title":"Journal of Family Psychology"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0292315.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"273","DOI":"10.1037\/cfp0000184","article-title":"Two perspectives on accommodation of PTSD symptoms: Partners versus service members","volume":"11","author":"JJ Kenny","year":"2022","journal-title":"Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0292315.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"729","DOI":"10.1037\/a0029341","article-title":"Impact of posttraumatic stress disorder on the relationship quality and psychological distress of intimate partners: A meta-analytic review","volume":"26","author":"JE Lambert","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of Family Psychology"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref010","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1093\/jurban\/79.3.364","article-title":"The impact of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing on the partners of firefighters","volume":"79","author":"B Pfefferbaum","year":"2002","journal-title":"Journal of Urban Health"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref011","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.4103\/amh.amh_51_21","article-title":"A cross-sectional study of psychological distress among doctors\u2019 spouses during COVID-19","volume":"22","author":"SS Goud","year":"2021","journal-title":"Archives of Mental Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref012","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"423","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1741-3729.2005.00328.x","article-title":"Behind the brotherhood: Rewards and challenges for wives of firefighters","volume":"54","author":"C Regehr","year":"2005","journal-title":"Family Relations"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref013","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1375\/pplt.13.1.41","article-title":"The relationship between the adjustment of Australian police officers and their partners","volume":"13","author":"AC Davidson","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psychiatry, Psychology and Law"},{"issue":"7","key":"pone.0292315.ref014","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e100663","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0100663","article-title":"Prospective study of police officer spouse\/partners: A new pathway to secondary trauma and relationship violence?","volume":"9","author":"SM Meffert","year":"2014","journal-title":"PLoS ONE"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0292315.ref015","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1603","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732315601398","article-title":"The lived experience of caring for an Australian military veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder","volume":"26","author":"E Waddell","year":"2016","journal-title":"Qualitative Health Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"308","DOI":"10.1111\/fare.12393","article-title":"Backing the blue: Trauma in law enforcement spouses and couples","volume":"69","author":"AL Landers","year":"2020","journal-title":"Family relations"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0292315.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"554","DOI":"10.1080\/10510974.2011.633297","article-title":"Humor in high-stress relationships: Understanding communication in police officers\u2019 romantic relationships","volume":"63","author":"SM Horan","year":"2012","journal-title":"Communication Studies"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2057166","DOI":"10.1080\/20008198.2022.2057166","article-title":"Experiences and views of frontline healthcare workers\u2019 family members in the UK during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study","volume":"13","author":"S Tekin","year":"2022","journal-title":"European Journal of Psychotraumatology"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0292315.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.1037\/0002-9432.76.4.451","article-title":"The effects of trauma on intimate relationships: A qualitative study with clinical couples","volume":"76","author":"BS Nelson Goff","year":"2006","journal-title":"American Journal of Orthopsychiatry"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref020","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1752-0606.2010.00203.x","article-title":"Trauma and couples: Mechanisms in dyadic functioning","volume":"37","author":"SB Henry","year":"2011","journal-title":"Journal of Marital and Family Therapy"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0292315.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1734","DOI":"10.1111\/hsc.12998","article-title":"Why do you stay?\u201d: The lived\u2010experience of partners of Australian veterans and first responders with posttraumatic stress disorder","volume":"28","author":"E Waddell","year":"2020","journal-title":"Health and Social Care in the Community"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref022","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1176\/ajp.148.1.10","article-title":"Childhood traumas: An outline and overview","volume":"148","author":"LC Terr","year":"1991","journal-title":"American Journal of Psychiatry"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"319","DOI":"10.1016\/S0005-7967(99)00123-0","article-title":"A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder","volume":"38","author":"A Ehlers","year":"2000","journal-title":"Behaviour Research and Therapy"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"215","DOI":"10.1080\/08870440008400302","article-title":"Dilemmas in qualitative health research","volume":"15","author":"L. Yardley","year":"2000","journal-title":"Psychology and Health"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref025","volume-title":"Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research","author":"JA Smith","year":"2009"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref026","first-page":"218","volume-title":"Qualitative health psychology","author":"JA Smith","year":"1999"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref027","first-page":"51","volume-title":"Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods","author":"JA Smith","year":"2003"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.4135\/9781446207536.d10","volume-title":"Analysing qualitative data in psychology","author":"JA Smith","year":"2007"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref029","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1016\/0037-7856(71)90091-6","article-title":"Psycho-social transitions: A field for study","volume":"5","author":"CM Parkes","year":"1971","journal-title":"Social Science & Medicine"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref030","volume-title":"Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma","author":"Free Press","year":"1992"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327965pli1501_01","article-title":"Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence","volume":"15","author":"RG Tedeschi","year":"2004","journal-title":"Psychological Inquiry"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"12","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.1486","article-title":"Posttraumatic growth in cancer patients and partners\u2013effects of role, gender and the dyad on couples\u2019 posttraumatic growth experience","volume":"19","author":"D Zwahlen","year":"2010","journal-title":"Psychooncology"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref033","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1177\/0022167805274729","article-title":"Vicarious posttraumatic growth in psychotherapy","volume":"45","author":"D Arnold","year":"2005","journal-title":"Journal of Humanistic Psychology"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0292315.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1705","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732310377457","article-title":"Vicarious posttraumatic growth among interpreters","volume":"20","author":"KA Splevins","year":"2010","journal-title":"Qualitative Health Research"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.1177\/1534765608323499","article-title":"The posttraumatic growth model: An expansion to the family system","volume":"15","author":"R Berger","year":"2009","journal-title":"Traumatology"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1080\/21635781.2022.2098885","article-title":"A post-traumatic growth perspective on PTSD: Implications for those who have served and their partners","volume":"10","author":"D Norris","year":"2022","journal-title":"Military Behavioral Health"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"334","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0000084","article-title":"Supporting close others\u2019 growth after trauma: The role of responsiveness in romantic partners\u2019 mutual posttraumatic growth","volume":"8","author":"A Canevello","year":"2016","journal-title":"Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2648.2001.3411732.x","article-title":"Living with post-traumatic stress disorder: The wives\u2019\/female partners\u2019 perspective","volume":"34","author":"M.A. Lyons","year":"2001","journal-title":"Journal of Advanced Nursing"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.2165\/00019053-200826020-00005","article-title":"The burden of schizophrenia on caregivers","volume":"26","author":"AG Awad","year":"2008","journal-title":"PharmacoEconomics"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0292315.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1177\/0020764020930041","article-title":"Carer subjective burden after first-episode psychosis: Types and predictors. A multilevel statistical approach","volume":"67","author":"S Charles","year":"2021","journal-title":"International Journal of Social Psychiatry"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref041","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.1159\/000516585","article-title":"Determinants of caregiver burden in early-onset dementia","volume":"11","author":"A Chiari","year":"2021","journal-title":"Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"145","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1752-0606.2005.tb01552.x","article-title":"Systemic traumatic stress: The couple adaptation to traumatic stress model","volume":"31","author":"BS Nelson Goff","year":"2005","journal-title":"Journal of Marital and Family Therapy"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref043","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"195","DOI":"10.3138\/jmvfh.2018-0035","article-title":"A systematic review of interventions for supporting partners of military veterans with PTSD","volume":"5","author":"D Turgoose","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0292315.ref044","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1080\/00050060802630353","article-title":"Still living in a war zone: Perceived health and wellbeing of partners of Vietnam veterans attending partners\u2019 support groups in New South Wales, Australia","volume":"44","author":"S Outram","year":"2009","journal-title":"Australian Psychologist"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0292315.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"261","DOI":"10.1007\/s10591-015-9345-7","article-title":"Relationship problems and military related PTSD: The case for using emotionally focused therapy for couples","volume":"37","author":"AJ Blow","year":"2015","journal-title":"Contemporary Family Therapy"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0292315.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"302","DOI":"10.1002\/jclp.22166","article-title":"An uncontrolled trial of a present-focused cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder","volume":"71","author":"ND Pukay-Martin","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Clinical Psychology"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"702838","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2021.702838","article-title":"Relational and growth outcomes following couples therapy with MDMA for PTSD","volume":"12","author":"AC Wagner","year":"2021","journal-title":"Frontiers in Psychiatry"},{"key":"pone.0292315.ref048","volume-title":"Introducing qualitative research in psychology","author":"Open University Press","year":"2008","edition":"2"}],"updated-by":[{"DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0304167","type":"correction","label":"Correction","source":"publisher","updated":{"date-parts":[[2024,5,17]],"date-time":"2024-05-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1715904000000}}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0292315","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]],"date-time":"2024-02-14T18:23:44Z","timestamp":1707935024000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0292315"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Michal","family":"Ptaszynski","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]]},"references-count":48,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0292315","relation":{"correction":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0304167","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]]}}}