Reintegration challenges among post-9/11 veterans: The role of mental health symptoms and resilience- and avoidance-based coping strategies
APA Citation:
Spencer, S. D., Zimmerman, M. B., Donis, N., Rodrigues, M., Jackson, D. O., & Dindo, L. (2023). Reintegration challenges among post-9/11 veterans: The role of mental health symptoms and resilience- and avoidance-based coping strategies. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 30, 97–105. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcbs.2023.09.007
Focus:
Veterans
Mental health
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Military Affiliation:
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Authors:
Spencer, Samuel D., Zimmerman, M. Bridget, Donis, Nicte, Rodrigues, Merlyn, Jackson, Dorothy O., Dindo, Lilian
Abstract:
Many returning service members deployed in the wars of Iraq and Afghanistan (Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn) face numerous challenges within post-deployment community reintegration (PDCR), including mild traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, and psychological disorders such as PTSD– a constellation of symptoms referred to as polytrauma. Within a transdiagnostic acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) framework, optimal PDCR is hindered by excesses in maladaptive avoidance-based coping and deficits in resilience-based coping. The present cross-sectional study examined the relationship between vulnerability (psychological distress, PTSD symptomology, and experiential avoidance) and resilience (values-based living; VBL) factors with PDCR in a sample of 298 Veterans with polytrauma-related concerns (Nmale = 244, Mage = 40.6). Results indicated: 1) higher psychological distress, PTSD symptomology, and experiential avoidance, respectively, and low VBL were significantly associated with greater PDCR difficulty; and 2) Veterans high in VBL (versus low) demonstrated a strengthened association between psychological distress and PTSD symptomology, respectively, with PDCR difficulty. These slope differences revealed a lack of differentiation in PDCR at high levels of distress/PTSD: PDCR difficulty was high for all levels of VBL. Conversely, at low-to-moderate levels of distress/PTSD, differences in PDCR difficulty were observed across VBL levels: PDCR difficulty was lower for Veterans high in VBL (versus low), suggesting VBL as a potential catalyst for facilitating optimal PDCR, but only for a limited range of symptom severity. Findings support the use of transdiagnostic ACT to improve outcomes for Veterans with polytrauma-related concerns.
Publication Type:
Article
Keywords:
Acceptance and commitment therapy, Experiential avoidance, Polytrauma, Post-deployment community reintegration, Values-based living