Growing up with a father with PTSD: The family emotional climate of the children of Australian Vietnam veterans.

A non-clinical sample of male Australian Vietnam veterans, their wives, and adult offspring were interviewed in-person in a national epidemiological study to assess the relationship between the mental ill-health of veterans and the emotional climate of the family while the children were growing up. Veterans were assessed 17 years before their children using standardised psychiatric diagnostic interviews. Family emotional climate was assessed using offspring ratings of parental attachment, and codings of positive and negative family relationship styles based on five minute speech samples provided by the offspring.