Publication year
2015
Citation Title
Coping, family social support, and psychological symptoms among student veterans
Journal Name
Journal of Counseling Psychology
Journal Volume
62
Issue Number
2
Page Numbers
242-252
DOI
10.1037/cou0000061
Summary
Iraq and Afghanistan student Veterans participated in a study examining the contributions of coping style and family social support on mental health symptoms (e.g., anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress). Higher levels of support from family related to lower levels of depression and anxiety. Veterans who used more avoidant coping techniques (avoiding or denying problems) had higher levels of PTSD symptoms.
Key Findings
Almost a quarter (24%) of the Veterans reported a past psychiatric diagnosis, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
Twelve percent of Veterans were currently prescribed mental health medication and 45% indicated a history of psychotherapy.
Problem-focused coping (actively focusing on a particular behavior to deal with the stressor causing stress) was not directly associated with mental health symptoms, but it was linked to fewer depressive symptoms when the Veteran had a lot of family social support.
Implications for Program Leaders
Develop and implement outreach programs targeting student Veterans who may benefit from mental health services
Offer informational sessions on mental health resources for student Veterans
Create classes for spouses of student Veterans, providing specific tips for how they can support their Veterans in the pursuit of higher education
Implications for Policy Makers
Support awareness campaigns through campus outreach programs, especially related to increasing family support
Recommend professional education for mental health professionals in colleges and universities working with student Veterans, offering information on military culture
Encourage institutions of higher learning have student Veteran organizations, preferably staffed by Veterans themselves, to support these students in their academic pursuits
Methods
Veterans were recruited through email invitations and fliers posted at two large state universities and one small private university.
Participants completed an online survey through Survey Monkey which included measures of anxiety, symptoms of PTSD, family social support, avoidant coping, and problem-focused coping.
Statistical analyses examined differences in outcomes between those who reported or did not report combat exposure, as well as associations between coping styles, family social support, and psychiatric symptoms.
Participants
Participants were Veterans (28 female and 104 male), who were undergraduates attending southwestern colleges and universities, with a mean age of 31.94 years (SD = 7.39).
The racial/ethnic composition in the sample was White (77%), Latino (10%), Multiracial (5%), Black (4%), and Asian American/Pacific Islander (3%).
Most Veterans (73%) had been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.
Limitations
The size of the sample (N = 136) may have limited the ability to detect some of the relationships.
The sample was all student Veterans who had been receiving counseling; it is uncertain how rates compare to student Veterans who were not participating in counseling.
Due to a low proportion of Black and Latino Veterans as well as female Veterans, generalizing findings related to links between combat exposure and PTSD may not be representative of female Veterans or Veterans of diverse ethnicities.
Avenues for Future Research
Explore the gender differences in symptomatology, avoidance, and other coping behaviors among student Veterans
Collect data from student Veterans throughout the U.S.; both Veterans receiving counseling and those who are not
Investigate student Veteran functioning to better equip college personnel in prevention and intervention planning
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
With rising numbers of student Veterans on today’s college campuses, multicultural competence in college counseling centers increasingly includes an understanding of military culture and its relation to the psychological health and functioning of student Veterans. Research on interpersonal and intrapersonal factors associated with college student Veterans’ mental health is scarce. The current study examines the contributions of coping style and family social support on symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress in a student Veteran sample. We also tested the moderating role of family social support in the relationship between coping style and psychological symptoms. Data from 136 student Veterans were analyzed by using path analysis. Results revealed that avoidant coping and family social support significantly predicted depressive and anxiety symptoms. Avoidant coping also significantly predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms. In addition, findings indicated that family social support moderated the relationship between problem-focused coping and depression, as well as between avoidant coping and symptoms of anxiety and depression but not posttraumatic stress. Implications of results for college and university counselors are discussed.
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