Title: “A Social Identity Approach to Military Veteran Health and Well-Being Following Transition from the Armed Forces”
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Mark Beauchamp
Committee Members: Dr. Eli Puterman, Dr. Yan Liu
Chair: Dr. Erica Bennett
Abstract: During transition from the military, veterans are at notable risk of mental and physical health deficits as they navigate their new civilian identity. The overall purpose of my proposed doctoral dissertation research is to further understand the capacity of physical activity to serve as a viable means of supporting the health and well-being of veterans, and ascertain the feasibility and acceptability of physical activity programs for men and women veterans. To accomplish these objectives, I will first examine the mental health trajectories of military personnel from the United States (U.S.) after release from service, and the potential moderating effect of physical activity. This will be done using data derived from the Millennium Cohort (Milco) Study. If physical activity is found to moderate these mental health trajectories, I will then examine potential predictor variables of physical activity for U.S. military veterans using the same dataset. My second study involves examining the feasibility and acceptability of a social identity-informed sport program, involving military veteran men (completed). The results of this study suggest there were several benefits experienced by participants and that the program was feasible to run, with potential for future scale-up. Finally, the third study of my thesis (in progress) will involve an examination of a gender-sensitized social identity-based physical activity program for military veteran women. When taken together, the research subsumed within my dissertation has the potential to facilitate a greater understanding of factors related to adjustment after release from the military and the role in which group-based physical activity programs can support military veterans following transition.