The relationship between black racial identity, military identity, and postdeployment reintegration of black male veterans
Abstract: Given the increasing rate of military service members who experience mental health issues during reintegration into civilian culture, the need for counselors who specialize in postdeployment reintegration practices for Black men persists. Moreover, a nuanced approach to understanding how best to provide culturally competent support in therapeutic contexts for Black male veterans, a psychologically vulnerable population due to historical experiences of oppression and discrimination, is worthy of additional consideration. This study explored the impact of Black U.S. men's (N = 94) racial and military identities on postdeployment reintegration. Results indicated a significant predictive relationship between Black racial identity, military identity, and postdeployment reintegration. Practical implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Abstract: Objective: The present study is a retrospective quasi-experimental study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Warrior PATHH (WP) program at improving posttraumatic growth (PTG) outcomes and reducing PTSD symptoms compared to a waitlist control among a sample of Veterans. Method: Participants (n = 164) were U.S. military Veterans with a history of trauma. Participants were either undergoing the Warrior PATHH program or a waitlist. Primary outcome measures were administered at baseline and at 90-day follow-up and consisted of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory – Expanded (PTGI-X) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). Secondary outcome measures assessed psychosocial functioning and included measures of depression and anxiety symptoms, sleep, wellbeing, and social support. Results: Significant differences were observed between groups on the PTGI-X (F(1, 205) = 23.667, p < .001, partial η2 = 0.103), and the PCL-5 (F(1, 205) = 262.460, p < .001, partial η2 = 0.561) with the WP group showing significant positive psychological change following a traumatic event as measured by the PTGI-X and decreased PTSD symptoms as measured by the PCL-5 compared to those in the waitlist condition. Those in the treatment arm also demonstrated gains to psychosocial functioning. Conclusions: Consistent with previous research, participants in the Warrior PATHH program exhibited significant increases in PTG outcomes, decreased PTSD symptoms, and broad improvements to psychosocial functioning. These findings suggest it is an effective training program to foster PTG outcomes among Veterans. This study is unique as it is the first to compare the effects of WP programming with a sample of waitlisted Veterans.