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Associations Among Combat Exposure, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Moral Injury, and Posttraumatic Growth in a Large Cohort of Post-9/11 Veterans

Objective: Post-9/11 veterans experienced more deployments, combat exposure, and disability than earlier military cohorts. Those in the military are also more likely to have experienced adverse childhood experiences. Despite these traumatic exposures, a substantial number of veterans report experiencing personal growth, development, and maturity from their military service. Method: This longitudinal survey study (n = 5, 245) examined the degree to which posttraumatic growth (PTG) was present among post-9/11 veterans. Several components of PTG were examined, including relating to others, seeing new possibilities, personal strength, spiritual growth, and appreciation for life. Results: Respondents rated their degree of personal growth and new appreciation of life most highly, while spiritual growth and appreciation of others were the least highly rated. Female veterans reported greater PTG. Veterans who experienced traumatic events (i.e., combat exposure, adverse childhood experiences), screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder, and moral injury reported greater PTG than those who had not experienced those events or screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder. Veterans reporting higher levels of social support and personal resilience were less likely to experience PTG. Veterans with other protective factors were more likely to experience PTG. Conclusions: Post-9/11 veterans report PTG in the face of various traumatic exposures.

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Work Title Associations Among Combat Exposure, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Moral Injury, and Posttraumatic Growth in a Large Cohort of Post-9/11 Veterans
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Keith R. Aronson
  2. Nicole R. Morgan
  3. Carly E. Doucette
  4. Kimberly J. McCarthy
  5. Katie E. Davenport
  6. Daniel F. Perkins
Keyword
  1. Moral Injury
  2. Posttraumatic Growth
  3. Adverse Childhood Experiences
  4. Large Cohort
  5. Post 9/11 Veterans
  6. Combat Exposure
  7. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
  8. Social Support
  9. Military Service
  10. Spiritual Growth
  11. Personal Growth
  12. Relating To Others
  13. Traumatic Event
  14. Traumatic Events
  15. Protective Factors
  16. Disability
  17. Growth Development
  18. Military
  19. Personal Strengths
  20. Longitudinal Survey
  21. Personal Development
  22. Military Population
  23. Women Veterans
  24. Posttraumatic Growth
  25. Trauma
  26. Veteran
  27. Resiliency
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
Publication Date 2024
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001793
Deposited June 02, 2025

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Version 1
published

  • Created

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by [unknown user]

  • Added Creator Keith R. Aronson

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Creator Nicole R. Morgan

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Creator Carly E. Doucette

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Creator Kimberly J. McCarthy

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Creator Katie E. Davenport

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Creator Daniel F. Perkins

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Keyword, Publisher, Publisher Identifier (DOI), and 2 more Show Changes

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

    Keyword
    • Moral Injury, Posttraumatic Growth, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Large Cohort, Post 9/11 Veterans, Combat Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Social Support, Military Service, Spiritual Growth, Personal Growth, Relating To Others, Traumatic Event, Traumatic Events, Protective Factors, Disability, Growth Development, Military, Personal Strengths, Longitudinal Survey, Personal Development, Military Population, Women Veterans
    Publisher
    • Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy
    Publisher Identifier (DOI)
    • https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001793
    Description
    • Objective: Post-9/11 veterans experienced more deployments, combat exposure, and disability than earlier military cohorts. Those in the military are also more likely to have experienced adverse childhood experiences. Despite these traumatic exposures, a substantial number of veterans report experiencing personal growth, development, and maturity from their military service. Method: This longitudinal survey study (n = 5, 245) examined the degree to which posttraumatic growth (PTG) was present among post-9/11 veterans. Several components of PTG were examined, including relating to others, seeing new possibilities, personal strength, spiritual growth, and appreciation for life. Results: Respondents rated their degree of personal growth and new appreciation of life most highly, while spiritual growth and appreciation of others were the least highly rated. Female veterans reported greater PTG. Veterans who experienced traumatic events (i.e., combat exposure, adverse childhood experiences), screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder, and moral injury reported greater PTG than those who had not experienced those events or screened positive for posttraumatic stress disorder. Veterans reporting higher levels of social support and personal resilience were less likely to experience PTG. Veterans with other protective factors were more likely to experience PTG. Conclusions: Post-9/11 veterans report PTG in the face of various traumatic exposures.
    Publication Date
    • 2024-01-01
  • Updated

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Keith R. Aronson

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Nicole R. Morgan

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Carly E. Doucette

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Kimberly J. McCarthy

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Katie E. Davenport

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated Creator Daniel F. Perkins

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Added Associations_among_combat_expo.pdf

    June 02, 2025 15:30 by meh302

  • Updated License Show Changes

    June 02, 2025 15:31 by meh302

    License
    • https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/
  • Published

    June 02, 2025 15:31 by meh302

  • Updated

    June 02, 2025 22:05 by [unknown user]

  • Updated Keyword, Publication Date Show Changes

    June 09, 2025 14:41 by jts5573

    Keyword
    • Moral Injury, Posttraumatic Growth, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Large Cohort, Post 9/11 Veterans, Combat Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Social Support, Military Service, Spiritual Growth, Personal Growth, Relating To Others, Traumatic Event, Traumatic Events, Protective Factors, Disability, Growth Development, Military, Personal Strengths, Longitudinal Survey, Personal Development, Military Population, Women Veterans
    • Moral Injury, Posttraumatic Growth, Adverse Childhood Experiences, Large Cohort, Post 9/11 Veterans, Combat Exposure, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Social Support, Military Service, Spiritual Growth, Personal Growth, Relating To Others, Traumatic Event, Traumatic Events, Protective Factors, Disability, Growth Development, Military, Personal Strengths, Longitudinal Survey, Personal Development, Military Population, Women Veterans, Posttraumatic Growth, Trauma , Veteran, Resiliency
    Publication Date
    • 2024-01-01
    • 2024