A combination of low depression, social support, and high psychological resilience plays a part in veterans’ well-being

Veterans who experienced the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological strength when they left military service were more likely to report high health a year later.

Demographic and military characteristics or trauma history did not emerge as strong predictors of veterans’ well-being when considered in the context of other factors. While most predictors were similar to women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of female well-being.

Each year, more than 200,000 U.S. service members withdraw from the military. While most veterans would be expected to make this move successfully, it is difficult for many individuals to transition to post-military life.

In an effort to identify the combination of background factors that predict the well-being of U.S. military veterans, the researchers sampled more than 7,100 veterans.

Demographic and military characteristics or traumatic life experiences did not emerge as important predictors of veterans ‘well-being in the context of other factors, suggesting that their impact on veterans’ well-being tends to be carried through objects. others addressed in the study.

Instead, researchers found that those who described the combination of high depression, low social support, and short-term low psychological resilience when leaving service were the most likely to report it. bad mood a year later.

“These decisions support the value of screening for these risk factors and engage with veterans who report this mix of factors at the time of leaving military service. to reduce the risk to veterans of post-traumatic stress disorder, ”explained co-author Dawne S. Vogt, Ph.D., a research scientist in the Department of Women’s Health Sciences, VA’s National Center for PTSD Boston Healthcare System and professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine.

While prior research has examined the role of depression, social support, and psychological tolerance in the mental health and post-military activity of U.S. veterans, this study concludes gives us a new perspective on how these factors work together to influence the well-being of veterans.

“The fact that veterans with depression and low social support have been reported to experience the worst well-being highlights the important role that a combination of these two factors plays in post-traumatic well-being. military veterans. In addition, higher psychological resilience was found to have a depressing effect on veterans’ well-being suggesting that these more resilient people may be able to cope with depression when experience them, “Vogt said.