Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Hedy R. Dexter

Abstract

Every year in the United States, over 200,000 individuals leave the military and begin their transition to civilian life, a period known as veteran community reintegration (VCR). A significant number of these individuals have reported VCR challenges, with a substantial number reporting mental health concerns. Recent studies have found that a number of individual differences (e.g., social support) can influence VCR challenges; however, no known studies have examined the influence of trait anxiety and emotional intelligence (EI) on VCR. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative study was to address this gap by determining whether the relationship between trait anxiety and perceived VCR challenges was moderated by EI. The military transition theory and the EI theory were used as the theoretical foundations for this study. Online surveys were administered to 182 post-9/11 veterans who had recently separated from the military. Participants were recruited from SurveyMonkey’s audience panel. With a standard multiple regression analysis, the present study found three significant results: (a) trait anxiety predicted perceived VCR challenges, (b) EI predicted perceived VCR challenges, and (c) EI moderated the relationship between trait anxiety and perceived VCR challenges. The results revealed that high levels of EI had the strongest buffering effect on the relationship between trait anxiety and VCR challenges, while low levels of EI had the weakest buffering effect on the relationship between trait anxiety and VCR challenges. Results may inform a positive social change by aiding in the development of transition programs and services, including EI training, to ease the stress veterans experience during VCR.

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