Date of Conferral

7-8-2026

Date of Award

July 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Jay Greiner

Abstract

Male veterans are often the least likely to report military sexual trauma (MST), increasing the experience of shame, fear, fragility, and mental health disorders. The primary goal of this study was to examine the relationship of shame (internal and external), attitudes towards disclosure, and resilience on mental health help-seeking in male veterans who have experienced sexual abuse while in the military. Brown’s theory of shame resilience guided the development of the hypotheses and interpretation of results. Approximately 146 veterans participated in an anonymous online cross-sectional survey using a convenience sampling design and psychometrically validated questionnaires (Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale, External and Internal Shame Scale, Attitudes Towards Disclosure Questionnaire, and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale). The study’s findings indicated that the Beta coefficients’ strongest predictor was total shame, followed by resilience, and that attitudes towards disclosure were the weakest predictor. In contrast, as shame decreases, the likelihood of seeking help for mental health problems increases. The same can be said for the other two measures: As attitude towards disclosure and resilience decrease, seeking help for mental health increases. Application of the findings to opportunities for social impact includes Veterans Affairs initiatives for gender-targeted outreach materials that normalize the reporting of MST by men. Results suggest that clinical interventions for MST survivors focus on fostering resilience to bridge trauma exposure and mental health service use.

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