Psychological Well-Being in Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans: A Broader Model of Risk and Protective Factors
Date
2014-08
Authors
Bergmann, Jeffrey S.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Veterans of the recent military conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq have been the subject of multiple studies, with the majority focusing on elevated rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other related negative outcomes (traumatic brain injury, suicide, marital problems). There are a handful of studies focusing on quality of life and well-being, but most are limited to constructs of meaning in life and posttraumatic growth, and the associations of such constructs with PTSD symptoms. To fully understand positive outcomes in this population, a broader understanding of psychological health and well-being, as well as a broader model of risk and protective factors, is needed. The present study focuses on the broad construct of psychological well-being (PWB) in veterans who have served during the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, with an examination of other risk factors (sleep problems and depression) beyond PTSD symptoms, as well as a positive facet of the military experience (enhanced self-regulation). Primary hypotheses were that sleep and depression would account for some of the negative association of PTSD with PWB, that self-regulation would be positively associated with PWB even when accounting for these risk factors, and that the association of risk factors with PWB would be weaker at higher levels of self-regulation.
Description
Keywords
Clinical psychology, Mental health, Military studies, Depression, Mentalkevlar, Military, PTSD, Self-regulation, Student Veterans