Identifying factors that contribute to military veterans’ post-military well-being

Prior research has examined the independent effects of demographic and military characteristics, trauma history, and coping resources on military veterans’ health. However, there is limited knowledge of how these factors intersect with one another and with veterans’ health to impact their broader well-being as they readjust to civilian life. Data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal investigation of the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans (N = 7150) who had recently left military service. Machine learning analyses (random forests of regression trees) were used to examine how factors assessed shortly after military separation were associated with veterans’ well-being approximately a year later. Veterans who endorsed the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological resilience were most likely to report high well-being a year later. Neither demographic and military characteristics nor trauma history emerged as strong predictors of veterans’ well-being when considered in the context of other factors. Although most predictors were similar for women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of women's well-being. Results highlight the importance of screening for and intervening with veterans who report high depression, low social support, and low psychological resilience when leaving military service. These findings can inform efforts to promote veterans’ post-military well-being.

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Work Title Identifying factors that contribute to military veterans’ post-military well-being
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Dawne Vogt
  2. Matthew W. King
  3. Shelby Borowski
  4. Erin P. Finley
  5. Daniel F. Perkins
  6. Laurel A. Copeland
Keyword
  1. Veterans
  2. Military Veterans
  3. Well Being
  4. Military
  5. World Health Organization
  6. Coping Behavior
  7. Trauma History
  8. Veteran Well Being
  9. Strong Predictor
  10. Veterans Health
  11. Demography
  12. Wounds And Injuries
  13. Social Support
  14. Psychological Resilience
  15. Resilience
  16. Military Service
  17. Trauma
  18. Military Separation
  19. Random Forest
  20. Regression Tree
  21. Longitudinal Investigation
  22. Coping Resources
  23. Machine Learning Analysis
  24. Civilian Life
  25. Women's Depression
  26. Us Veterans
  27. Forests
  28. Military Health
  29. Health
  30. Machine Learning
  31. Learning
  32. Resources
  33. Regression
  34. Coping
License CC BY 4.0 (Attribution)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
Publication Date May 1, 2021
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. 10.1111/aphw.12252
Deposited January 02, 2025

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Version 1
published

  • Created
  • Updated
  • Added Creator Dawne Vogt
  • Added Creator Matthew W. King
  • Added Creator Shelby Borowski
  • Added Creator Erin P. Finley
  • Added Creator Daniel F. Perkins
  • Added Creator Laurel A. Copeland
  • Updated Work Title, Keyword, Publisher, and 3 more Show Changes
    Work Title
    • Identifying factors that contribute to military veterans' post-military well-being
    • Identifying factors that contribute to military veterans post-military well-being
    Keyword
    • Veterans, Military Veterans, Well Being, Military, World Health Organization, Coping Behavior, Trauma History, Veteran Well Being, Strong Predictor, Veterans Health, Demography, Wounds And Injuries, Social Support, Psychological Resilience, Resilience, Military Service, Trauma, Military Separation, Random Forest, Regression Tree, Longitudinal Investigation, Coping Resources, Machine Learning Analysis, Civilian Life, Women's Depression, Us Veterans, Forests, Military Health, Health, Machine Learning, Learning, Resources, Regression, Coping
    Publisher
    • Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • 10.1111/aphw.12252
    Description
    • <p>Prior research has examined the independent effects of demographic and military characteristics, trauma history, and coping resources on military veterans’ health. However, there is limited knowledge of how these factors intersect with one another and with veterans’ health to impact their broader well-being as they readjust to civilian life. Data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal investigation of the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans (N = 7150) who had recently left military service. Machine learning analyses (random forests of regression trees) were used to examine how factors assessed shortly after military separation were associated with veterans’ well-being approximately a year later. Veterans who endorsed the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological resilience were most likely to report high well-being a year later. Neither demographic and military characteristics nor trauma history emerged as strong predictors of veterans’ well-being when considered in the context of other factors. Although most predictors were similar for women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of women's well-being. Results highlight the importance of screening for and intervening with veterans who report high depression, low social support, and low psychological resilience when leaving military service. These findings can inform efforts to promote veterans’ post-military well-being.</p>
    Publication Date
    • 2021-05-01
  • Updated
  • Updated Description Show Changes
    Description
    • <p>Prior research has examined the independent effects of demographic and military characteristics, trauma history, and coping resources on military veterans’ health. However, there is limited knowledge of how these factors intersect with one another and with veterans’ health to impact their broader well-being as they readjust to civilian life. Data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal investigation of the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans (N = 7150) who had recently left military service. Machine learning analyses (random forests of regression trees) were used to examine how factors assessed shortly after military separation were associated with veterans’ well-being approximately a year later. Veterans who endorsed the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological resilience were most likely to report high well-being a year later. Neither demographic and military characteristics nor trauma history emerged as strong predictors of veterans’ well-being when considered in the context of other factors. Although most predictors were similar for women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of women's well-being. Results highlight the importance of screening for and intervening with veterans who report high depression, low social support, and low psychological resilience when leaving military service. These findings can inform efforts to promote veterans’ post-military well-being.</p>
    • Prior research has examined the independent effects of demographic and military characteristics, trauma history, and coping resources on military veterans’ health. However, there is limited knowledge of how these factors intersect with one another and with veterans’ health to impact their broader well-being as they readjust to civilian life. Data for this study were drawn from a longitudinal investigation of the health and broader well-being of U.S. veterans (N = 7150) who had recently left military service. Machine learning analyses (random forests of regression trees) were used to examine how factors assessed shortly after military separation were associated with veterans’ well-being approximately a year later. Veterans who endorsed the combination of low depression, high social support, and high psychological resilience were most likely to report high well-being a year later. Neither demographic and military characteristics nor trauma history emerged as strong predictors of veterans’ well-being when considered in the context of other factors. Although most predictors were similar for women and men, depression was a stronger predictor of women's well-being. Results highlight the importance of screening for and intervening with veterans who report high depression, low social support, and low psychological resilience when leaving military service. These findings can inform efforts to promote veterans’ post-military well-being.
  • Updated Creator Dawne Vogt
  • Updated Creator Matthew W. King
  • Updated Creator Shelby Borowski
  • Updated Creator Erin P. Finley
  • Updated Creator Daniel F. Perkins
  • Updated Creator Laurel A. Copeland
  • Added identify factors13May2021.pdf
  • Updated License Show Changes
    License
    • https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
  • Published
  • Updated