Experiences of ethnic minority personnel in the armed forces: A systematic review
Abstract: Ethnic minority personnel experience greater levels of harassment and discrimination than their nonminority counterparts. This review demonstrates the impact of these experiences on ethnic minority personnel in the armed forces. A literature search was conducted in PubMed, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, EBSCO, and Web of Science. Sixteen articles that discussed Black, Asian, and ethnic minority armed forces personnel were analyzed. Much of what is known about ethnic minority experiences of serving in the armed forces is based on ethnic minorities in the U.S. Armed Forces. The available literature shows that ethnic minority serving personnel and Veterans experience greater disadvantage than their native counterparts, both during and after service. Ethnic minority personnel reported poorer health than white personnel and fear of criticism from their ethnic minority community on disclosure of traumatic experiences. Ethnic minority personnel were also more likely to access formal mental health services yet less likely to engage in treatment, particularly women. Three themes were identified: cultural identity, health status and health utilization, and trauma and discrimination. Research reports often do not highlight individual ethnic minority groups, thus making it difficult to draw conclusions about them. Future research should consider evaluating the psychosocial context influencing functioning among different ethnic minority groups and should also explore the benefits of serving in the armed forces.Â
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.