Experiences in the war zone, shared narratives, and shifting identities: Systematic review of qualitative research.

Abstract

This systematic review examines qualitative research into the mental health issues encountered by military veteran personnel deployed to a combat zone. A small number of researchers have examined the often information-rich and complex experiences of returning personnel using a qualitative approach to data collection and analysis. However, qualitative studies have not often been appraised or synthesized. Using a qualitative method for conducting systematic review, the objectives of this article are twofold: (a) to review select research literature on veteran military populations, and (b) to describe veteran's experiences using a synthesis of themes across original qualitative research. Findings are discussed with considerations for applying qualitative research methods to future research of military service populations and implications for the provision of care.

Outside the Military “Bubble”: Life After Service for UK Ex-armed Forces Personnel

“…Participants described having to learn how to navigate a new environment outside the military, whose social norms and practices were unfamiliar. This may lead to troubled adaption in civilian life because the military community is no longer accessible and the discipline and skills learned to become part of a cohesive military unit are no longer useful for making connections with others in the civilian world (16). Trivializing exposure to surviving Bosnia, for example, or repeated tours of Northern Ireland and Middle East conflicts, and what learning was gained from these tours, were slowly becoming devalued inside service as well as by civilian employers and non-military colleagues alike (72)(73)(74).…”

“…More detailed accounts of experience may help with understanding how veterans perceive and integrate the influence of pre-service events and quality of life, for instance (13,14). As countries have and continue to engage in various types of warfare, the interest in and education about veterans and their physical and psychological well-being continues to evolve (15)(16)(17)(18) and as the characteristics and needs of veterans have changed over time, knowledge about this population across the lifespan (and the social network around UK veterans) must evolve also. Veterans' experiences provide a framework for questions of what military identity is in the context of transition, what barriers exist to veterans wanting support for psychosocial challenges, and what adaption means for veterans and their families.…”

A resilience building collaboration: A social identity empowerment approach to trauma management in leprosy-affected communities.

“…The more important group memberships a person has to draw on, the more psychological resources they can recruit when attempting to deal with trauma (Jetten et al, 2012; Kearns et al, 2017; Walsh et al, 2014). Clearly, though, people are not always able to maintain their social identities when traumatized (Gordon, 2014). Most obviously, people may have to lose or let go of old identities because changed circumstances requires them to give up particular group memberships (Walsh et al, 2014).…”

Psychological Rehabilitation (Including Emotional Readaptation) of Servicemen after Returning from the Combat Zone

“…In our opinion, the specific tasks of psychological rehabilitation carried out in the combat zone should be: diagnosis of the presence, type and level of mental disorder; evacuation of servicemen who need hospitalization to restore mental health; restoration of disturbed (lost) mental functions to a level that allows you to perform combat missions; correction of self-awareness, self-esteem, well-being and combat motivation in servicemen who have received mental disorders, physical injuries; providing assistance to servicemen in their preparation for surgical operations, in relieving pain in the wounded, rapid return of psycho-traumatized servicemen to the combat units, etc. (Albertson, Taylor, Murray, 2019;Gordon, 2014).…”