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Statistical findings during and following the recent war in regard to the mental, emotional, and social problems of the veteran give evidence of the nature and scope of the problem which America faces today. The major problem undertaken in this study involves a presentation of certain information relative to this general area.

The present qualitative study explored the beliefs that military service members hold in regards to their physical activity participation. Additionally, service members (N=9) were asked about their perceptions of a potential physical activity based therapy program that incorporates psychological skill training. This study took a phenomenological approach and utilized a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were initially recorded and then transcribed by the researcher. Qualitative analysis revealed nine domains throughout the interviews: 1) deployment and military influence, 2) methods of stress relief, 3) perceived barriers to physical activity, 4) physical activity participation and preferences, 5) motivation to be physically active, 6) impact of physical activity, 7) psychological skills, 8) program expectations, and 9) program preferences. These domains were used to code the interviews. Of these domains, 5 themes emerged: 1) participants indicated positive benefits resulting from physical activity participation and negative consequences resulting from inactivity, 2) serving in the military and being on deployment significantly influenced physical activity participation, 3) participants expressed interest in a potential physical activity program, 4) participants anticipated some initial resistance from service members in regards to participating in a potential physical activity program, and 5) most participants indicated a preference for a mixed model program that would allow them to choose between individual or group activities. Overall, results from this study indicate that service members positively view their physical activity participation and recognize the potentials of a physical activity program that incorporates psychological skills training. Designing physical activity programs to meet the unique needs of service members remains relatively unexplored. Important implications and evidence-based recommendations were discussed. / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only.

Currently, neuropsychologists rely on assessment instruments rooted in century old theory and technology to make evaluations of military personnel’s readiness to return-to-duty or return to their community. The present study sought to explore an alternative by evaluating the validity of a neuropsychological assessment presented within a virtual reality platform. The integration of a neuropsychological assessment into a cognitively and emotionally demanding virtual environment – reminiscent of a combat experience in Iraq – offers a more ecologically valid manner in which to evaluate the cognitive skills required in theater. U.S. military veterans’ (N = 50) performance on the Virtual Reality Stroop Task (VRST) was compared with performance on a paper-and-pencil, a computer adapted version of the Stroop task, and the subtests included in the Automated Neuropsychological Assessment Metrics-4 (ANAM4) TBI-MIL test battery. Results supported the validity of the VRST, indicating it demonstrates the typical Stroop effect pattern. The emotional salience of the VRST resulted in slowed reaction time compared to the ANAM Stroop. Further, the complex interference condition of the VRST offers opportunities for evaluation of exogenous and endogenous attentional processing. In the evaluation of threat, participants were noted to perform more accurately and more quickly in low threat versus high threat zones. Ancillary inquiries found no clinically meaningful findings regarding the role of deployment or post-concussive symptoms, and mixed findings regarding the effect of posttraumatic stress symptoms on neuropsychological performance among the three tested modalities.

Over the past 15 years, mental health professionals have seen an increasing number of Vietnam combat veterans suffering from stress disorders resulting from the trauma of combat and continued exposure to life threatening situations. Prior to 1980, professional repudiation of and hostility toward Vietnam veterans and toward a clinical reality of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was common while nondiagnosis and nontreatment was prevalent

The current study examined the impact of resilience and self-compassion on the relationship between combat exposure and psychological outcomes, specifically post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic growth. Service members and veterans with combat exposure (N = 143) completed an online survey, through which they were administered a Background Questionnaire, the Combat Exposure Scale, the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5, the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Self-Compassion Scale. Results of a path analysis revealed a positive direct effect of combat exposure on post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth and a negative direct effect of self-compassion on post-traumatic stress symptoms. Furthermore, self-compassion moderated the relationship between combat exposure and post-traumatic growth. Implications of these findings and future directions for research are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of attachment processes and coping strategies in the development of psychiatric symptoms among military veterans and active duty personnel. Data were obtained from 268 male and female military veterans and active duty personnel. A path analysis was conducted to estimate the relationships between attachment processes, coping strategies, and psychiatric symptoms. Findings demonstrated that greater levels of attachment anxiety were related to increased levels of avoidant coping and psychiatric symptoms, while higher levels of attachment avoidance were related to avoidant coping and PTSD symptoms, as well as decreased levels of problem-focused coping. Alcohol use was associated with psychiatric symptoms. Avoidant coping, but not problem-focused coping, was associated with psychiatric symptoms and partially mediated the relationship between anxious attachment and psychiatric symptoms. Avoidant coping also fully or partially mediated the relationships of avoidant attachment to depression and PTSD symptoms. The findings of this study increase our knowledge of mechanisms that contribute to psychiatric symptoms among military populations, which in turn can guide treatment planning and interventions.

Today’s military encompasses a wide variety of families who are affected by deployments in multiple and complex ways. Following deployments, families must reconnect in their relationships and reestablish their way of life. Appropriate and effective communication during this time is critical, yet many military couples struggle with this process. Moreover, student service members/veterans and their families are in a unique position. In addition to coping with changes in their marital relationship, student veterans may feel isolated or unsupported on college campuses, often experiencing anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, or suicidality. The current study seeks to bridge the gap between the military family literature and the student service member/veteran literature by examining how deployment experiences, mental health issues, and communication patterns influence post-deployment relationship adjustment among student veterans. Analyses tested whether communication style and/or current mental health concerns mediate associations between combat experiences and couples’ relationship adjustment, as well as between experiences in the aftermath of battle and relationship adjustment. Results suggest that although posttraumatic stress is significantly related to deployment experiences among student veterans, participants report no significant negative effects of deployment on relationship adjustment. Communication style, however, was significantly associated with relationship adjustment, and a lack of positive communication was found to correlate with PTSD diagnosis. Research and clinical implications are discussed.

Telomeres is a manuscript-length lyric essay in many parts that traces the relationship of the narrator and her father as they both navigate the landscape of post-traumatic stress disorder after his return from Vietnam. / by Nicole Oquendo. / Thesis (M.F.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are a common comorbidity in veterans seeking treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP). However, little is known regarding the mutual influence of PTSD and CMP in this population. Using cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a randomized clinical trial evaluating a stepped care intervention for CMP in Iraq/Afghanistan veterans (ESCAPE), this dissertation examined the relationships between PTSD and CMP along with other factors including depression, anxiety, catastrophizing and health-related quality of life. The Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was conducted to identify key factors associated with baseline PTSD besides CMP severity. A series of statistical analyses including logistical regression analysis, mixed model repeated measure analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and cross-lagged panel analysis via structural equation modeling were conducted to test five competing models of PTSD symptom clusters, and to examine the mutual influences of PTSD symptom clusters and CMP outcomes. Results showed baseline pain intensity and pain disability predicted PTSD at 9 months. And baseline PTSD predicted improvement of pain disability at 9 months. Moreover, direct relationships were found between PTSD and the disability component of CMP, and indirect relationships were found between PTSD, CMP and CMP components (intensity and disability) mediated by depression, anxiety and pain catastrophizing. Finally, the coexistence of PTSD and more severe pain was associated with worse SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores. Together these findings provided empirical support for the mutual maintenance theory.