Citation

Eakman AM, Schelly C, Henry KL. Am. J. Occup. Ther. 2016; 70(1): 7001260010p1-7001260010p10.

Affiliation

Kimberly L. Henry, PhD, is Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and the Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, American Occupational Therapy Association)

DOI

10.5014/ajot.2016.016519

PMID

26709427

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine differences in psychosocial protective factors (social support, meaningful occupation, and academic self-efficacy) and health-related vulnerability factors (posttraumatic stress, depression, and somatic symptoms) contributing to resilience in post-9/11 veterans with service-related injuries and nonveterans in postsecondary education.

METHOD: A cross-sectional, matched-participants design using propensity score matching was used to test differences in mean levels of protective and vulnerability factors between injured veterans (n = 26) and nonveterans (n = 19); zero-order correlations explored relationships among study variables.

RESULTS: The veteran sample demonstrated lower levels of psychosocial protective factors and higher levels of health-related vulnerability factors compared with nonveterans (|0.49| to |1.56|). Psychosocial protective factors were consistently negatively associated with health-related vulnerability factors (-.27 to -.63).

CONCLUSION: Post-9/11 veterans with service-related injuries are at a substantial disadvantage in terms of resilience; lower protective factors and elevated vulnerability factors may increase their risk for poor campus integration and impede academic achievement.

Language: en