Military and Veterans Studies Commons^™

Understanding And Enhancing Suicide Prevention Strategies In The Military: The Roles Of Culture, Leadership, And Command Climate, Kelly Johanna Pires

Dissertations

Military service members are shaped and molded to fit a military culture that emphasizes mission readiness and continuous preparedness. Countless hours are spent training for various situations that can arise. Many trainings are geared toward worst-case scenarios that can cause an increase in stressors and traumatic events. They are expected to demonstrate resilience and overcome adversity to remain mission-ready. This expectation to be mission-ready creates the space for mental health difficulties as well as stigma and avoidance of help-seeking behaviors. In many cases, the desire to stay mission-ready creates a barrier for conversations around mental health. The military emphasizes qualities …

"On The Same Rope": An Exploratory Study Of Staff Experiences At The Mountain Seed Foundation's Healing Base Camp Program, Jill C. Kivikoski

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Since the escalation of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainians have faced significant social and public health challenges, particularly among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families (SMVF), including disability, traumatic stress, and barriers to mental health care (Kostenko et al., 2024; Krasnodemska et al., 2023; O’Grady & Galouchka, 2023). Retreat based programs grounded in shared military identity may offer an accessible form of support (Barrett & Currin, 2024). Mountain Seed Foundation’s (MSF) Healing Base Camp (HBC) was developed to promote healing and resilience among Ukrainian SMVF (Mountain Seed Foundation, n.d.).

This qualitative dissertation used a single-case study design (Yin, …

Disaster Risk Reduction In Rural Indonesia: Evaluation Of The Japan Red Cross Program In Pujiharjo Village, Meyralda Dara Adisa, Pujo Widodo, Anwar Kurniadi, Wilopo Wilopo

Preventia: The Indonesian Journal of Public Health

Pujiharjo Village in Malang Regency, Indonesia, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters. In 2021, the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) partnered with the Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) to implement a community-based disaster preparedness program. This study evaluates the program's effectiveness in terms of community participation, institutional support, and alignment with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. Using a qualitative case study, data were collected through document analysis of Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments (VCA), Community Action Plans (CAP), and local SOPs. Thematic analysis explored disaster risk perception, governance, mitigation investment, and emergency preparedness. The program successfully improved risk awareness, …

Eating Habits, Eating Behavior Mediators, Body Composition And Physical Fitness Among Rotc Cadets, Kaitlin Renee Hanks

Master's Theses

The physical and mental demands of the military and the requirement to maintain body composition standards make healthful eating essential to military service. Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are a unique subgroup of the United States military, and the combined demands of their military training and educational pursuits may increase their susceptibility to unhealthy eating patterns. The purpose of this study is to describe the relationship between eating habits, eating behavior mediators, body composition, and physical fitness among ROTC cadets. This study used a cross-sectional design that included an online survey, an inperson body composition assessment, and carotenoid measurements …

An Examination Of Early Termination From Trauma-Focused Treatment For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Literature Review And Mixed Methods Study Proposal, Laura M. Lathrop

Graduate School of Professional Psychology: Doctoral Papers and Masters Projects

The high rate of early termination from evidence-based, trauma-focused psychotherapy treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impedes maximum benefit from trauma-focused treatment, making it an on-going concern for clinicians. This paper consists of a literature review regarding the problem of early termination from evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment for PTSD in adults. It then proposes a mixed methods study to investigate re-engaging veterans in trauma-focused PTSD treatment, analyzing completion rates, and evaluating participants’ experience using qualitative interviews.

Increased Suicidality Risk Among Adolescents With An Active-Duty Sibling Or Parent In The United States, Andrew S. London, Kevin M. Antshel

Population Health Research Brief Series

Adolescents who have a parent currently serving in the U.S. military face distinctive social stressors and developmental challenges, and have higher rates of internalizing and externalizing disorders, substance use, and suicidality than adolescents who do not have an active-duty parent. Additionally, adolescents with siblings who enter the military are at increased risk of experiencing a major depressive episode relative to adolescents who do not have an active-duty sibling. This brief summarizes findings from a study that used data from the 2016-2019 National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) to examine whether having a sibling and/or a parent on active …

Using Mindfulness To Manage Moral Injury In Veterans: Feasibility And Satisfaction Of A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Michelle L. Kelley, Adrian J. Bravo, Elizabeth E. Burgin, Susan A. Gaylord, Christine Vinci, Megan Strowger, Jeffrey M. Gabelmann, Joseph M. Currier

Psychology Faculty Publications

Objective

The present study assessed program feasibility and satisfaction among recent-era veterans who participated in Mindfulness to Manage Moral Injury (MMMI), a live facilitated web-based 7-week mindfulness-based program targeting moral injury among veterans.

Method

In total, 56 post-9/11 veterans were recruited with 28 randomized to the MMMI condition and 28 to the Education and Support (ES) condition. Most participants identified as being White (71.4%), male (66.1%), and had a reported mean age of 41.50 years (Median = 39.50, SD = 9.26).

Results

Among the 56 participants, 82.1% attended at least one treatment session and 44.6% completed all seven sessions. There …

Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors In The Canadian Special Operations Forces Command, Vic Morris

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Morris, Victor E. “Preparing Spiritually Resilient Warriors in the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2024. 285 pp.

The Canadian Armed Forces has outcomes and expectations for warriors to be spiritually resilient but does not have a training program that has been researched, tested, and validated to achieve this. This study investigates how chaplains can prepare spiritually resilient warriors in CANSOFCOM. A chaplain-led spiritual resilience course was created and delivered to CANSOFCOM members. The course was aligned with the holistic wellness strategy of OPF2, and designed as an inductive, experiential learning experience. An …

Associations Between Combat Exposure, Moral Injury, And Suicidality Among U.S. Military Members: The Moderating Impact Of Positive Rumination, Jeffrey M. Gabelmann

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Numerous studies have documented the risk for suicide among recent-era veterans with combat experience. Recently, moral injury has emerged as a possible contributor to suicidality in veterans. To that end, no study has approached the combat exposure-moral injury-suicidality link with a focus grounded in positive psychology. Specifically, the present study explored whether positive rumination, or the reflection on positive emotions and moods, may buffer the deleterious effects of potentially traumatic experiences in warzones on moral injury and suicidality. This study was a secondary analysis of 250 current or former U.S. military members (M_age = 33.3 years) who had …

Impact Of The Department Of Defense Maternity Leave Policy Change On Retention And Postpartum Depression And The Air Force Postpartum Physical Fitness Policy Change On Physical Readiness Outcomes, Minette S. R. Herrick

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Understanding the implications of health policy is paramount to support continued execution and further wide-spread distribution. The Department of Defense has made many recent family friendly policy changes in effort to improve the health and morale of the force. Two such policies were analyzed in this study. The first was the change in maternity leave, in 2016, from allotting women six weeks time off to twelve weeks time off in the postpartum period. The second was executed by the Air Force to permit postpartum women a longer duration for their required physical fitness assessment (an increase from six months to …

The U.S. Military Does Not Adequately Prepare Members For Transition From Service, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Nearly 250,000 U.S. military members transition out of service each year. The Transition Assistance Program (TAP) provides information, tools, and training to prepare service members for their transition to civilian life. However, nearly half of veterans say the military did not adequately prepare them for their transition from service. This issue brief highlights the shortcomings of veteran transition programs, like TAP, and provides recommendations for improving transition outcomes through more holistic programs.

Wellness As A Predictor Of Turnover Intention In The Active Duty Military, Thomas Clifford Seguin

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

Due to the unique nature of military service compared to civilian professions, military attrition is difficult to predict using methods derived from career development theories, so turnover remains an ongoing concern for the active duty military. For this reason, military attrition, through turnover intention, should be investigated through a novel lens with the intention of capturing an essence of military service which previous methods may have overlooked, namely the holistic construct of perceived wellness. Previous studies have shown how wellness-related factors affect turnover intention, but none has studied the relationship between perceived wellness and turnover intention. The main hypothesis of …

Consensus On Best Practices In Neuroscience-Informed Treatment Of Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress In Military Veterans: A Delphi Study Of Experts In The Field Of Mental Health, Danielle Lauren Winters

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to capture consensus among mental health professionals who work with combat trauma-afflicted veterans and/or utilize a neuroscience-informed counseling approach, about a set of best practices for uniting neuroscience-informed treatment modalities with the treatment of veterans who present with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS). A multi-round Delphi study was used to elicit information from mental health professionals, which led to the proposition of ways in which mental health professionals may more efficiently work with combat veterans while utilizing neuroscience-informed treatments such as Prolonged Exposure Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) neuro-informed Cognitive Behavioral therapy (nCBT), …

Individual And Organizational Challenges To Implementing Prolonged Exposure Therapy In The Military Health System: A Systematic Review Of Client And Provider Perspectives, Paris R. Cloutier

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Military veterans and active-duty service members face high rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a chronic and debilitating condition that is comorbid with other negative psychological and social outcomes. PTSD symptomology in military careers is attributed to unique organizational factors and risks both during and post-deployment. Delivering modern, effective PTSD treatments derived from evidence-based research to the military population is a multi-faceted effort. Among these interventions, prolonged exposure therapy (PE) is a safe and effective trauma-focused treatment for veterans. To yield higher rates of PE success, common challenges faced by both military clients and their clinicians that may be impairing …

Moral Injury, Identity Dissonance, And Reintegration: A Compendium Of Reintegration And Survey Of United States Military Veterans, Thomas Hodges

Doctor of International Conflict Management Dissertations

How do military moral injuries affect reintegration? All service members leave the military eventually, but reintegration can be challenging, bringing changes in career, family life, and friendships, potentially prompting a loss of purpose, drive, and connection. Service members may also struggle with a crisis of identity upon separating from the military, feeling their military identity is incompatible with civilian life. While these difficulties are common for service members in reintegration, they may be worsened by moral injury, the adverse biological, social, psychological, and spiritual effects of experiencing an event that deeply offends a person’s sense of right and wrong. People …

Serving Those Who Served: Renegotiating Support And Benefits For U.S. Military Veterans With Less Than Honorable Discharges, Mariah Brennan, Emily Graham

Population Health Research Brief Series

Approximately 1 in 7 veterans are discharged from the military under less than “Honorable” conditions. Veterans with less than “Honorable” discharges experience bias and stigma related to their discharge, which can lead to elevated risk for behavioral and mental health challenges and homelessness. This brief summarizes the different military discharge types, explains how less than “Honorable” discharges can affect veteran health, identifies groups of veterans who are at risk of receiving a less than “Honorable” discharge, and makes policy recommendations for the Department of Defense (DoD), civilian employers, and community healthcare providers.

The Mediation Effects Of Adaptive Blindness Strategies On The Relation Between Institutional Betrayal From Military Sexual Assault And Mental Health Symptoms, Rachel L. Davies

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

Military sexual assault is a serious and prevalent issue. The frequency with which military sexual assault occurs and the nature of the response to these events within the military system may contribute to institutional betrayal. Institutional betrayal is the failure of an institution, such as the military, to prevent sexual assault from occurring and/or the failure to support a survivor after sexual assault. Adaptive blindness strategies are forms of coping strategies that help individuals navigate a relationship they depend on when there is a betrayal. Two adaptive blindness strategies are self-blame and minimization. Although the adaptive blindness strategies may allow …

Du Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, Caitlyn Aldersea, Justin Bravo, Sam Allen, Anna Block, Connor Block, Emma Buechler, Maria De Los Angeles Bustillos, Arianna Carlson, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Noah Craver, Kate Dillon, Muskan Fatima, Angel Fernandes, Emma Finch, Colleen Cassidy, Amy Fishman, Andrea Francis, Stacia Fritz, Simran Gill, Emma Gries, Rylie Hansen, Shannon Powers, Jacqueline Martinez, Zachary Harker, Ashley Hasty, Mykaela Tanino-Springsteen, Kathleen Hopps, Adelaide Kerenick, Colin Kleckner, Ci Koehring, Elijah Kruger, Braden Krumholz, Maddie Leake, Lyneé Alves, Seraphina Loukas, Yatzari Lozano Vazquez, Haley Maki, Emily Martinez, Sierra Mckinney, Audrey Mitchell, Kipling Newman, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Andrew Nguyen, Stevie Ostman, Casandra Pearson, Alexandra Penney, Julia Gielczynski, Tyler Ball, Anna Rini, Christina Rorres, Simon Ruland, Helayna Schafer, Emma Sellers, Sarah Schuller, Claire Shaver, Kevin Summers, Isabella Shaw, Madison Sinar, Claudia Pena, Apshara Siwakoti, Carter Sorensen, Madi Sousa, Anna Sparling, Alexandra Revier, Brandon Thierry, Dylan Tyree, Maggie Williams, Lauren Wols

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

DU Undergraduate Showcase: Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works

Impacts Of Stigma On Female Service Members, Alisha Weatherly-Kershaw

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

There are a variety of factors that prevent people from seeking mental health treatment. The stigma associated with mental health disorders or seeking treatment is a primary deterrent. This stigma is particularly impactful within the armed forces when they are assessed for fitness for duty. Because most research examines stigma’s impact on male military members, this study aims to identify the type of stigma that creates the most significant barrier to female service members seeking mental health treatment. Results indicate that stigmatizing perceptions of service members significantly impact female service members holding negative views towards seeking treatment.

A New Christmas Eve: Match Day Eve, Gehan A. Pendlebury

be Still

The transition of medical student to resident physician represents the student becoming the teacher -- a teacher that will continue to evolve over time. Residents teach medical students, yet residents are taught by their attending physicians. In many ways, Match Day is a milestone marking the beginning of that incremental learning process. The word "doctor" derives from the Latin word “docere” meaning "to teach" as doctors should be teaching their patients good health in their practice of medicine. Likewise, it is an inherent responsibility of all physicians to pass on their knowledge and skills for the betterment of the next …

Veteran Access To Mental Health Services And How It Contributes To The Rates Of Suicide, Kameron R. Grigsby

Kentucky Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

This essay is an exploration of the access Veterans have to mental health services and how such access or lack thereof contributes to the rates of suicide among the Veteran population. The purpose of this essay is to examine various factors that influence Veteran access to mental health care and how these factors can be improved or eliminated. By analyzing such factors, healthcare professionals may begin to further implement provisions and practices to decrease the rising rate of suicides among Veterans.

Ptsd And Alcohol Use Disorders Predict The Pace Of Cellular Aging, Sage E. Hawn, Xiang Zhao, Mark W. Miller, Sara Wallander, Christine Govan, Anjanette Stone, Steven A. Schichman, Mark W. Logue, Erika J. Wolf

Psychology Faculty Publications

Advanced epigenetic age is associated with psychopathology and may help to explain the link between psychopathology and physical health morbidity and mortality. Using a longitudinal sample of 171 trauma-exposed Veterans, we modeled the rate of change in epigenetic age across two time points (averaging 5.58 years apart) using two epigenetic age algorithms (GrimAge and Horvath) and tested associations with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), and depression. Results showed that PTSD (β = .199) and AUD (β = .186) were associated with a quickened pace of epigenetic aging over time (ps < .021). Results replicate and extend prior work and offer foundational support for identifying interventions that slow the pace of biological aging among those with psychopathology.

Hardships, Motivations, And Resiliency: Case Study Of Health Implications Of 2022 Russian Invasion On Ukrainian Resistance Members, Jessi Hanson-Defusco

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine caused millions of Ukrainians to flee. Yet most citizens continue to reside in the country, playing critical roles in the Ukrainian resistance. Today the Ukrainian fighting force includes trained military and police as well as citizens who either were conscripted or volunteered to take part in national war efforts. This mixed-method study conducted in Spring 2022 presents data collected from 79 respondents in a semistructured survey, using snowball sampling. Data analysis examined individual self-reported motivations, attitudes toward the conflict, resilience, quality-of-life hardships, and scaled perceived stress. Results indicated that Ukrainian resistance members face …

Sleeping With The Enemy: Examining The Relationship Between Sleep And Pain In Post-9/11 Veterans, John L. Schwartz Jr.

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

United States veterans are a diverse group of individuals, yet as a result of their service, they share a unique set of customs, traditions, and values. Post-9/11 veterans are more likely to experience elevated levels of pain and poor sleep quality compared to their civilian counterparts; however, little is known about how beliefs related to veterans’ pain impact their sleep and how levels of pain acceptance influence the sleep-pain association. This study examined relationships between sleep and pain in a sample of 102 post-9/11 veterans. Results support associations between pain and sleep identified in other populations. Positive correlations were found …

The Role Of Occupational Therapy: Military Dependents Transitioning Into Motherhood, Ria Allen, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott, Karen Park

Summer 2021 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Background: Motherhood is a time of adjustments and changes. Mothers are learning how to balance taking care of a newborn, household responsibilities, and self-care. Adjustments of routine in everyday occupations can change quickly as the baby's needs evolve over time and established routines are disrupted and new routines are created. For military spouses, military culture and lifestyle can affect adjustments to motherhood as well including deployments, frequent moves, and reestablishing support systems. An in-depth literature review revealed that there is limited occupational therapy research, programming, and resources available to military dependent mothers

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to …

Incarceration And Suicide: Do The Risk Factors Differ For Civilians And Veterans?, Rheannon Gail Ramsey

Dissertations and Theses

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in United States jails and prisons. Many researchers have looked at suicides in prisons and what can potentially cause suicidal ideation but there are conflicting findings among civilian incarcerated populations and United States military veteran incarcerated populations.

The intent of this study is to examine which risk factors are most prevalent among adults in custody, with a focus on mental health and substance use or abuse and how these risk factors differ between incarcerated civilians and incarcerated veterans. Using survey data from the 2002 Survey of Inmates in Local Jails conducted …

U.S. Military Veterans’ Attitudes And Perceptions Of Mental Healthcare, Bridget Milam Wells

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this research project is to measure whether U.S. military veterans experience any stigma related to mental healthcare and if this is associated with age, length of service, and military branch. U.S. military veterans are a high-risk group for developing mental illnesses. It is believed social stigma and personal attitudes, perceptions and beliefs of mental healthcare may influence whether a veteran will pursue mental healthcare. This cross-sectional study was conducted as an online survey via Qualtrics resulting in 75 total responses. 21 responses were excluded from the analysis due to incompletion or failure to pass the consciousness-awareness test …

A Patient-Centered Study Examining Self-Identification Of Mental Health Challenges Among Female Military Officers, Rosellen Roche, Joel Manzi, Katelyn Bard

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Due to the expansion of leadership roles in the military for women, female military personnel now face stressors equal to, and yet unique from, their male counterparts. This pilot study surveyed 73 female U.S. Army officers regarding their experiences of leadership and mental wellness within the military. A mixed-methods survey was distributed via 2 private Facebook groups for female Army officers following an anonymized convenience sampling. This anonymous, patient-centered protocol was used to protect against known stigma surrounding disclosing mental health concerns in the military. Respondents were asked a series of questions including perceived mental health status and access to …

Education On My Healthevet To Increase Access To Psychiatric Healthcare For Veterans, Roxann Hackbarth

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects

Introduction: Access to mental health care can be challenging for many veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed the patient portal My Healthevet (MHV) to increase access to healthcare services. Despite this program, many veterans still do not take advantage of the portal. The goal of this literature review was to gain knowledge on benefits and barriers of using patient portals, identification of patients who use and do not use patient portals, and interventions to increase the use of patient portals.
Evidence Summary: The use of patient portals, including the VHA portal MHV, helps to increase interactions between clinicians and …

Supporting Resilience In Reserve Component Spouses During Deployment: The Impact Of Family Life Cycle Phase And Deployment History On Social Support Needs, Jennifer L. Ceminsky

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This exploratory study used a researcher developed survey to examine the relative value of instrumental, emotional, and informational support for Reserve Component spouses during deployment. Although all types of support were valued by nearly all study participants, significant differences were found between ratings of helpfulness for each type of support. Emotional support was the support type most valued by 73.1% of spouses in this study. Instrumental support was most valued by21.1%, and only 2.8% of spouses valued informational support most. Regression analyses were used to identify factors that were predictive of value placed on each type of social support. The …