Considerations for supporting Canadian military-connected students in K-12 and higher education
Abstract:Â Within Canada, little is known about the educational experiences of military-connected students in the K-12 and higher education systems. American research has been published and provides insight into the unique challenges that military-connected students can experience in such contexts. Because of the lack of research conducted in Canada to date, it is unclear if American research findings represent the educational experiences of Canadian military-connected students in K-12 and higher education. This article discusses how identification of military-connected students, as well as educator awareness, or lack thereof, are creating organizational challenges in the Canadian context for supporting military-connected students in K-12 and higher education. Despite the substantial attention that military, Veteran, and family health research has gained in Canada over the past decade, military-connected students, both in the kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) and higher education systems, remain understudied populations within Canada. While American literature provides insight into the educational experiences of military-connected students in these contexts, it is unclear to what extent the American findings are truly representative of the Canadian experience due to current limitations with Canadian data. This article considers two challenges that appear to be organizational obstacles in delivering a fulsome array of supports to military-connected learners. Moving forward, it is imperative to concentrate research efforts on military-connected students, both in the K-12 and higher education contexts, as such research will have rippling effects across academic, educational, and military domains.
Abstract: Background: Exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) during military service can lead to moral injury (MI) outcomes and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). This longitudinal study examined the relationships between PMIE exposure, MI outcomes, and PTSS among Israeli combat veterans, and the potential protective role of dispositional forgiveness in these associations. Method: Participants were 169 Israeli combat veterans who participated in a six-year longitudinal study with four measurement points (T1: 12 months before enlistment, T2: Six months following enlistment- pre-deployment, T3: 18 months following enlistment- post-deployment, and T4: 28 months following discharge). Participants’ characteristics were assessed via semi-structured interviews (T1) and validated self-report measures (T2-T4) between 2019-2024. Results: Approximately 36% of participants reported exposure to PMIEs during service, with 13% exceeding the clinical threshold for probable PTSD at T4. PMIE-Betrayal at T3 was positively associated with MI outcomes of shame and trust violation at T4. The indirect effect of PMIEs on PTSS through MI outcome-Shame depended on forgiveness levels. Among veterans with low forgiveness, higher exposure to PMIE-Betrayal was associated with increased MI shame, which was linked to more severe PTSS. Conversely, for those with high forgiveness, exposure to PMIE-Self and Other was associated with decreased MI shame and subsequently reduced PTSS. Conclusion: Dispositional forgiveness moderates the relationship between PMIE exposure and MI outcomes, particularly shame, which mediates the development of PTSS. These findings highlight forgiveness as a potential target for intervention in treating moral injury and preventing PTSS among combat veterans.