Social Work Commons^™

U.S. Military Veteran Identity And Civilian Adjustment, Darren A. Sosa

Pacific Journal of Health

U.S. military veterans transitioning back into the civilian sector often experience a variety of challenges and need to readjust into non-military environments. In order to examine the psychological challenges involved in the transition and readjustment processes among U. S. active military veterans, a qualitative study was conducted. For 6 months, data was collected from veterans in California, Nevada, Texas, Florida, and New York. Following an IRB approval, semi-structured open-ended self-developed interviews were developed and conducted with sixteen military veterans who have served in 4 branches of the U.S. Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Data and information …

Validation Of The Pcl-5, Phq-9, And Gad-7 In A Sample Of Veterans, Aazi Ahmadi, Warren Ponder, Jose Carbajal, Donna Schuman, James Whitworth, R Andrew Yockey, Jeanine Galusha

Faculty Publications

Objective: Veterans can present at nongovernment (Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs) mental health agencies with complex symptom constellations that frequently include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and generalized anxiety. To date, no veteran study has validated these measures on a treatment-seeking sample of veterans outside the DoD and VA. Methods: We used a treatment-seeking sample of veterans (N = 493) to validate measures that assess these constructs (PTSD Checklist 5, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7). Results: The seven-factor posttraumatic stress disorder hybrid configuration was the best fit. The best fitting model of the depression …

Factors Associated With Successful Military-To-Civilian Transition Among Special Forces Veterans, Edward Richter

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

The purpose of this study was to explore the military-to-civilian transitional experience in a sample of Special Forces veterans. Acknowledging challenges in accessing the veteran population, most existing research on the military-to-civilian transition consolidates military occupations into a single sample. This method fails to address the intricacies that may exist within individual military occupations, especially that of U.S. Army Special Forces soldiers. Special Forces qualified soldiers represent the largest portion of all U.S. Military Special Operations Forces and are responsible for the majority of all Special Operations activities, yet their experience in transitioning out of the Army is largely unknown. …

The Dyadic Dance During Deployment: Veteran And Partner Romantic Attachment, Warren Ponder, Jose Carbajal

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Hospice Interdisciplinary Use Of The Social Work Assessment Tool For Military Families, Miranda Lishell Rankin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The development of the social work assessment tool (SWAT) was an initiative designed by members of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to move hospice and palliative care social workers into the arena of viewing the family as an extension of the patient. Of those dying in the United States, 1 out of 4 is a military veteran (vet) in need of assessments, culturally relevant interventions, and/or supports at the end of life. For military families, caring for vets at the end of life can prompt stressors that may require culturally unique assessments and/or interventions. Tsai’s (2003) theory of …

National Guard Members With Suicide Ideation: The Impact Of Stigma, Mental Health, And Trauma History On Treatment-Seeking Outcomes, Amy Brown

Theses and Dissertations--Social Work

Background. Veterans are overrepresented among suicide deaths in the United States, representing 20% of annual suicide deaths but only about 1% of the U.S. population (Department of Veteran Affairs, 2010). Of all military suicide deaths in 2016, one-third (33.4%) were in the National Guard or Reserves (Department of Defense, 2018). Previous suicidal ideation or behavior (SIB) has been shown to increase risk of subsequent ideation or behavior in both active duty and veteran samples (Bryan, Rudd, & Wertenberger, 2016; Hazlett et al., 2016) but studies of SIB specific to National Guard service members were not found.

Access and Barriers to …

The Impact Of Minnesota Warriors Hockey On Post-Military Service Reintegration: A Pilot Study, Andrew Qualy

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Introduction: The Minnesota Warriors Hockey Program is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that assists wounded, injured, or otherwise disabled veterans of the U.S. Military in their reintegration process by administering a recreational ice hockey program for its participants in the wake of significant issues facing transitioning veterans, such as high rates of PTSD, suicide, divorce, substance use, unemployment, and homelessness.

Methods: Data was collected from a survey that was sent out to all registered participants in the Minnesota Warriors Hockey Program (N = 65). Instruments used in the study include the M2C-Q, an empirically validated psychometric measuring tool which assesses post-deployment …

A Systematic Review Of Rural Veteran Homelessness, Jonathan Fasse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is a systematic review to examine homeless veterans identified to be most at risk of unsuccessfully completing the VA’s housing program (HUD-VASH), which promotes the use of Housing First (HF) as it’s model for treating homelessness. The literature review identified those who were rural and experiencing comorbid substance use disorders (SUD) and mental health issues to likely be those who were most at risk. There were multiple reasons why this subgroup was most vulnerable including limited access to resources, higher levels of substance use and more serious mental health diagnoses, and chronic health needs. Both the literature review …

A Case Study Of Veteran Identity As A Female, Kimberly Anderson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The terms veteran, or soldier, typically evoke a male image, creating barriers to female veteran identity and recognition. Using a case study methodology, one female veteran’s perspective was explored using qualitative interviews and supporting documents. Findings show that the female veteran had the same training and deployment experiences as her male counterparts, and therefore, demonstrates her full status as a veteran. Also noted are the ways in which her female identity as a veteran was expressed and experienced by others. This case study involves perspectives related to female veteran identity across three generation and suggests changes related to females in …

Spiritually Integrated Care For Veteran Trauma Survivors: A Quantitative Analysis, Krystle Englund

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if spiritually integrated care positively changed symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and spiritual distress in veterans. This quantitative study used secondary data (n = 138) from a sample of veterans identified by the Minneapolis Veteran Affairs Health Care System. Instruments used in the study were the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist and the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale. The findings from this study included a decrease in spiritual distress following a spiritually integrated intervention. Veterans who participated in an 8-session group intervention known as Building Spiritual Strength self-reported less distress with a Higher …

Factors Associated With Suicide Risk In Female Service Members And Veterans, Christine Mcdonough

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

In an effort to understand suicide risk among female veterans, this research sought to examine any associations between suicide risk with possible risk and protective factors. The study included sixty self-identified female veterans and service members (n = 60). Participants identified primarily as Caucasian/White (76.7%) but included participants who identified as African-American/Black, Latino, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, and Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial; ages ranged from 24 to 64 (M = 37.51). All types of service and branches of service, excluding U.S. Coast Guard, were represented. This study utilized an anonymous online survey which was primarily quantitative but also included two qualitative questions to …

Treating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among Aging Veterans: What Works?, Heather Renee O'Dell Lewis

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition with debilitating symptoms which affects military veterans and has been understudied in the older population. Aside from treating the veterans of the Vietnam War and World War II, as service members from more recent conflicts age, the mental healthcare system needs to be able to treat them with empathy and effective therapies. As there is a need for future research focusing on this population, this paper reviews the current literature and utilizes Grounded theory to further the research related to PTSD in aging veterans. A selection of mental health clinicians with experience …

Participation In Veteran Organizations, Kevin M. Beaudry

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Half of the 2.6 million veterans identify difficulty in transitioning back to civilian life after deployment (Chandrasekaren, 2014). With at least twenty percent of OEF/OIF veterans returning being diagnosed with PTSD and or Depression the need for connection to reduce isolation is high (Tanielian, Jaycox, 2008). Additionally, participation in Veteran Service Organizations like the VFW and American Legion are down over thirty percent (Montgomery, 2014). This project works to identify what is working in some of the Minneapolis and St. Paul posts to increase participation and what might be interfering with participation members. The study was conducted by talking with …

The Sixties Scoop Among Aboriginal Veterans: A Critical Narrative Study, Munira Abdulwasi

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This study explored the experience of Aboriginal Veterans adopted and/or fostered during the Sixties Scoop using critical narrative inquiry. The objectives were to: 1) understand the lived experience of Aboriginal veterans adopted and/or fostered during the Sixties Scoop, 2) explore any health needs expressed by Aboriginal veterans adopted and/or fostered during the Sixties Scoop, and 3) provide recommendations for the implementation of health services and programs to assist this group of Aboriginal veterans with their health needs. Eight individual interviews were conducted with participants in Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Vancouver. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using …