Evaluating Dual Identities and Somatic Stress During Veteran Reintegration
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Veterans who have previously deployed while serving often must navigate a complex relationship between psychological and physical challenges. This bidirectional relationship often manifests as an iterative process where psychological symptoms exacerbate physical symptoms and vice versa. One of the most prominent challenges being moral injury, which is emotional distress that comes from actions or inactions perceived as morally wrong. Moral injury is characterized by feelings of guilt, shame, and betrayal and can significantly affect a veteran's mental health and well-being. As veterans try to adjust to civilian life and start their recovery, the role of stress becomes increasingly apparent, influencing not only their psychological state but also their somatic experiences. Research has shown that stress can trigger a range of somatic and psychological symptoms, such as regular feelings of pain, fatigue, and other physical conditions. For veterans struggling with moral injury, these somatic experiences may heighten feelings of despair, creating a vicious cycle that could halt recovery and impact healthy transitioning. This investigation examines the relationship between somatic stress manifestations and transition outcomes moderated by military and civilian identity constructs. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 200 veterans recruited through Prolific ($7 compensation) who completed standardized military and civilian identity measures, cognitive health indicators, self-concept clarity, social support resources, somatic stress manifestations, and cultural orientation factors. Multiple linear regression analyses evaluate how identity variables moderate the impact of physiological stress responses on psychological adjustment metrics during the military-to-civilian transition process. We anticipate somatic stress levels will negatively predict transition outcomes, with this relationship moderated by military-civilian identity integration. Veterans maintaining strong military identity without civilian identity development will show stronger somatic-psychological distress associations, while those with balanced dual identities may experience buffering effects. These findings would support identity-focused clinical interventions that simultaneously address somatic symptoms and identity integration.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Tyler Collette
Evaluating Dual Identities and Somatic Stress During Veteran Reintegration
Veterans who have previously deployed while serving often must navigate a complex relationship between psychological and physical challenges. This bidirectional relationship often manifests as an iterative process where psychological symptoms exacerbate physical symptoms and vice versa. One of the most prominent challenges being moral injury, which is emotional distress that comes from actions or inactions perceived as morally wrong. Moral injury is characterized by feelings of guilt, shame, and betrayal and can significantly affect a veteran's mental health and well-being. As veterans try to adjust to civilian life and start their recovery, the role of stress becomes increasingly apparent, influencing not only their psychological state but also their somatic experiences. Research has shown that stress can trigger a range of somatic and psychological symptoms, such as regular feelings of pain, fatigue, and other physical conditions. For veterans struggling with moral injury, these somatic experiences may heighten feelings of despair, creating a vicious cycle that could halt recovery and impact healthy transitioning. This investigation examines the relationship between somatic stress manifestations and transition outcomes moderated by military and civilian identity constructs. Using a cross-sectional design, data were collected from 200 veterans recruited through Prolific ($7 compensation) who completed standardized military and civilian identity measures, cognitive health indicators, self-concept clarity, social support resources, somatic stress manifestations, and cultural orientation factors. Multiple linear regression analyses evaluate how identity variables moderate the impact of physiological stress responses on psychological adjustment metrics during the military-to-civilian transition process. We anticipate somatic stress levels will negatively predict transition outcomes, with this relationship moderated by military-civilian identity integration. Veterans maintaining strong military identity without civilian identity development will show stronger somatic-psychological distress associations, while those with balanced dual identities may experience buffering effects. These findings would support identity-focused clinical interventions that simultaneously address somatic symptoms and identity integration.