Military-to-civilian transition strains and risky behavior among post-9/11 veterans

  • The military transition theory underscores that transitions are inherently stressful. More specifically, strains experienced during the military-to-civilian transition can lead to negative emotions, which may then be expressed through risky behaviors. This study examined the relationship between postdischarge strains (unmet needs and loss of military identity), negative emotions (depressive symptoms and civilian resentment), and risky behaviors within a sample of post-9/11 Veterans in the Chicago and San Francisco areas (N = 783). Overall, this theoretically informed model represented the experiences of the Veterans in the sample, such that more strains were related to more negative emotions, and more negative emotions were related to engagement in risky behaviors (e.g., reckless driving, taking unnecessary risks, substance use, gambling, unsafe sex).

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Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.

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