| In 2017 it was projected that approximately one million Veterans were reintegrating into civilian life. While most reintegrate with short-term issues, some continue to struggle with the process for years. It is estimated that half of Post-9/11 Veterans experience some reintegration difficulties, regardless of a physical injury or psychological diagnosis. The goal of the current study was to better understand reintegration difficulties beyond the mental and physical health conditions typically studied. Specifically, this was the first study to investigate previous military self-expansion (WSEQ; self-concept growth during past military service), current self-concept clarity (SCC; how clearly a person knows who they are and how stable that self is), and military identity fusion (WIS-R; a sense of deep-rooted oneness with military culture), in relation to reintegration difficulties. The sample included 534 Post-9/11 combat Veterans, ages ranging from 20 to 64, with 43.63% being female, who completed a series of questionnaires via an online platform, Mechanical Amazon Turk, that assessed the aforementioned variables and reintegration difficulties. These variables were assessed as well as more typically studied variables such as post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms, alcohol abuse, social support, and traumatic brain injuries. Results of the study showed that greater WIS-R (although very small effect), as well as greater SCC, were significant predictors of greater reintegration difficulties above and beyond the more typically studied variables. The current study, in conjunction with exploratory analyses, suggests that SCC and WIS-R are worthy of discussion and further investigation as Veterans reintegrate into civilian life. Additional future research will allow us to more fully understand WIS-R, SCC, and reintegration of Veterans and how to optimize reintegration programs and treatment to promote the overall health of Veterans long-term if the effect, although small to medium here, are consistently supported.
Keywords: post-9/11 reintegration, Veteran reintegration, self-concept clarity, identity fusion, self-expansion, identity, self, military culture |