How Does Previous Trauma Impact Military Personnel's Ability to Control Their Responses?

What you need to know

• Both the amount and timing of trauma before military service affects how well personnel can control their responses during deployment
• People who experienced trauma during childhood and adolescence showed more difficulty suppressing inappropriate responses
• Those with high levels of interpersonal trauma (caused by other people) showed increased vigilance but reduced ability to control their responses

The Challenge of Control

Imagine trying to drive through a busy intersection while simultaneously having flashbacks of a traumatic event. Your ability to focus on relevant information (like traffic signals) while inhibiting distractions becomes crucial for safety. This scenario illustrates the importance of “inhibitory control” - our brain’s ability to suppress irrelevant or inappropriate responses while maintaining focus on what matters.

For military personnel, who often face high-stress situations requiring split-second decisions, strong inhibitory control is essential. However, many service members enter the military having already experienced significant trauma in their lives. How does this previous trauma affect their ability to maintain control in challenging situations?

Understanding Inhibitory Control

Inhibitory control involves two key processes in our brain:

1. Conflict monitoring - detecting and managing competing responses (like noticing both a green light and a pedestrian stepping into the street)
2. Response suppression - stopping ourselves from acting on inappropriate impulses (like slamming on the gas when we see the pedestrian)

Scientists can measure these processes using a simple computer task where participants must quickly press a button for certain stimuli while withholding responses to others. By recording brain activity during this task, researchers can see how well these control mechanisms are working.

The Impact of Previous Trauma

The research revealed that different types of trauma affect inhibitory control in distinct ways:

People who experienced multiple interpersonal traumas (like abuse or assault) showed:

• Increased vigilance and monitoring for potential threats
• Reduced ability to suppress inappropriate responses
• Greater difficulty allocating mental resources effectively

Those who experienced trauma during childhood or adolescence demonstrated:

• More difficulty suppressing inappropriate responses
• Slower processing when trying to control their responses
• These effects persisted even years later during military service

The Timing Matters

The study found that when trauma occurs during development has significant implications:

Childhood trauma (before age 10):

• Primarily affected the speed of stopping inappropriate responses
• May impair development of basic emotion regulation systems

Adolescent trauma (ages 10-17):

• Affected both the strength and speed of response suppression
• May disrupt development of brain regions crucial for impulse control

Adult trauma:

• Had less impact on inhibitory control processes
• Suggests adult brains may be more resilient to trauma’s effects on control systems

What This Means for You

If you’re a service member who experienced trauma before joining the military, or if you work with military personnel:

1. Recognize that difficulties with focus or impulse control may stem from previous trauma rather than lack of discipline or effort

2. Consider seeking support that specifically addresses:

   • Emotion regulation skills
   • Attention training
   • Impulse control techniques

3. Understand that healing takes time and different approaches may be needed based on when trauma occurred

4. Know that early intervention and support can help strengthen these control systems

Conclusions

• Previous trauma can create lasting changes in how military personnel process and control their responses to situations
• The impact varies based on both the type of trauma (interpersonal vs. non-interpersonal) and when it occurred
• Understanding these differences can help develop more effective support strategies for military personnel with trauma histories