Women Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Implications for practice

Female Vietnam War veterans are an oppressed community, linked by their common experience in a tragic, unpopular war; by their subjugation in an overwhelmingly male military subculture dominated by a patriarchal society; and by their common struggle to deal with the emotional and psychological costs of their service. This article examines the problems experienced by women veterans of the Vietnam War who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder, identifies practice settings where women veterans are encountered, and suggests assessment strategies and therapeutic interventions.