Heinz Adrienne J, Freeman Michael A, Harpaz-Rotem Ilan, Pietrzak Robert H
National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA USA.
Center for Innovation to Implementation, VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Menlo Park, CA USA.
Mil Psychol. 2017;29(6):513-523. doi: 10.1037/mil0000195.
American military veterans are nearly twice as likely to be self-employed compared to non-veterans, and are majority owners in nine percent of all businesses nationwide. Despite their contribution to the broader economy and the potential for training programs to cultivate and foster successful self-employment and veteran-lead entrepreneurial ventures, research on veteran entrepreneurs remains limited. In order to gain a better understanding of the potential strengths and vulnerabilities of veteran entrepreneurs, the current study utilized data from a large, nationally representative sample to profile self-employed veterans (n=230) and compare them to veterans who work as employees (n=1,055) with respect to demographic, military service history, and psychosocial characteristics. Results indicated that self-employed veterans were older and more educated and more likely to utilize VA healthcare. Self-employed veterans were more likely to serve in Vietnam and to serve in the military for fewer years. No differences were noted in perceived military experience, level of combat exposure, or military branch served as a function of self-employment. Although reporting more lifetime traumas, self-employed veterans did not experience higher rates of current or lifetime psychopathology or lower perceived quality of life. Potential protective resilience-promoting factors may be associated with the higher levels of openness, extraversion, optimism, achievement-orientation (purpose in life), and greater need for autonomy and professional development observed among self-employed veterans. Moreover, self-employed veterans demonstrated higher levels of gratitude, community integration, and altruistic service to others. Findings have potential to inform human resources management strategies and vocational training and reintegration initiatives for veterans.
与非退伍军人相比，美国退伍军人自主创业的可能性几乎是非退伍军人的两倍，并且在全国所有企业中，有9%的企业其多数股权由退伍军人持有。尽管他们对更广泛的经济做出了贡献，而且培训项目有潜力培养和促进成功的自主创业以及由退伍军人领导的创业企业，但关于退伍军人企业家的研究仍然有限。为了更好地了解退伍军人企业家的潜在优势和弱点，当前的研究利用了来自一个具有全国代表性的大样本数据，对自主创业的退伍军人（n = 230）进行了描述，并将他们在人口统计学、军事服役历史和心理社会特征方面与受雇的退伍军人（n = 1,055）进行了比较。结果表明，自主创业的退伍军人年龄更大、受教育程度更高，并且更有可能使用退伍军人事务部的医疗保健服务。自主创业的退伍军人更有可能在越南服役，并且服役年限较短。在感知到的军事经历、战斗暴露程度或服役军种方面，未发现因自主创业而产生的差异。尽管自主创业的退伍军人报告的终身创伤更多，但他们目前或终身的精神病理学发生率并不更高，感知到的生活质量也不更低。潜在的促进复原力的保护因素可能与自主创业的退伍军人中更高水平的开放性、外向性、乐观主义、成就导向（生活目标）以及对自主性和职业发展的更大需求有关。此外，自主创业的退伍军人表现出更高水平的感恩、社区融入和对他人的利他服务。研究结果有可能为退伍军人的人力资源管理策略、职业培训和重新融入计划提供参考。
