Monash Addiction Research Centre, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia.
Turning Point, Eastern Health, Richmond, VIC, Australia.
Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2022 Aug;56(8):1025-1033. doi: 10.1177/00048674211046894. Epub 2021 Sep 20.
Veterans transitioning to civilian life after leaving the military face unique health concerns. Although there is a significant body of research exploring veterans' experiences of transition and predictors of well-being, there are limited studies examining how social group engagement influences veterans' transition. We explored how Australian Defence Force veterans' social group engagement and identity influenced their adjustment to civilian life and well-being.
Forty Australian veterans (85% male; mean age = 37 years, range = 25-57 years) took part in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Participants completed two mapping tasks (a social network map and life course map) that provided a visual component to the interviews. Interview transcripts were analysed thematically and interpreted by adopting a social identity approach.
Joining the military involved a process of socialisation into military culture that for most participants led to the development of a military identity. An abrupt or difficult discharge from defence was often associated with a negative impact on social group engagement and well-being in civilian life. Veterans' social group memberships may act not only as positive psychological resources during transition but also as a potential source of conflict, especially when trying to re-engage with civilian groups with different norms or beliefs. Military values inscribed within a veteran's sense of self, including a strong sense of service, altruism and giving back to their community, may operate as positive resources and promote social group engagement.
Engaging with supportive social groups can support transition to civilian life. Reintegration may be improved via effective linkage with programmes (e.g. volunteering, ex-service support organisations) that offer supportive social networks and draw upon veterans' desire to give back to community. Social mapping tasks that visualise veterans' social group structures may be useful for clinicians to explore the roles and conflicts associated with veterans' social group memberships during transition.
退伍军人离开军队后过渡到平民生活面临着独特的健康问题。尽管有大量研究探讨了退伍军人的过渡经历和幸福感的预测因素，但很少有研究探讨社会群体参与如何影响退伍军人的过渡。我们探讨了澳大利亚国防军退伍军人的社会群体参与和身份如何影响他们适应平民生活和幸福感。
40 名澳大利亚退伍军人（85%为男性；平均年龄为 37 岁，范围为 25-57 岁）参加了深入的半结构化访谈。参与者完成了两项映射任务（社交网络图和生活轨迹图），这为访谈提供了一个可视化的组件。采用社会认同方法对访谈记录进行了主题分析和解释。
加入军队涉及到一个被军队文化社会化的过程，对于大多数参与者来说，这导致了他们发展出了一种军人身份。突然或困难的退役往往会对退伍军人在平民生活中的社交群体参与和幸福感产生负面影响。退伍军人的社会群体成员身份不仅可以在过渡期间作为积极的心理资源，而且可能成为冲突的潜在来源，尤其是当他们试图重新融入具有不同规范或信仰的平民群体时。刻在退伍军人自我意识中的军事价值观，包括强烈的服务意识、利他主义和回馈社区的意识，可能是积极的资源，并促进社交群体的参与。
参与支持性的社会群体可以帮助退伍军人过渡到平民生活。通过与提供支持性社交网络并利用退伍军人回馈社区的愿望的项目（例如志愿活动、退伍军人支持组织）建立有效的联系，可以改善重新融入社会的情况。可视化退伍军人社交群体结构的社交映射任务可能对临床医生很有用，可以用来探讨退伍军人在过渡期间与社交群体成员身份相关的角色和冲突。
