Date of Conferral

2020

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Rolande Murray

Abstract

Reintegration is a complicated process and becomes more difficult due to stigma toward care seeking. Stigma can act as an influence to avoid treatment or terminate treatment early. The problem is that the attitudes of veterans and military personnel toward care seeking prior to discharge are unknown, particularly with respect to the lack of anonymity or privacy. Also unknown is what these populations desire to be included in reintegration treatment/training. The purpose of this study was to discover and interpret the attitudes of this population toward care seeking. The conceptual framework included military culture, masculine ideology, and stigma. The research questions addressed the attitudes held by veterans and military personnel regarding care seeking for medical problems prior to discharge with respect to the lack of anonymity or privacy, in addition to the elements that veterans and military personnel think should be included in reintegration treatment/training. Using a qualitative case study design, findings corroborated previous findings in the literature regarding negative attitudes toward care seeking. Other findings revealed a desire on the part of the participants for comprehensive training for resource acquisition at discharge. There is evidence of an undeveloped theory of career-protecting behavior. Avoiding care seeking to protect career, rank, job, or assignment is more than avoidance in order to not appear weak or to sidestep stigma toward weakness. A suggestion would be to explore care seeking by gender and rank. Positive social change may include a better understanding of the attitudes toward care seeking in the military and what elements are desired in a reintegration treatment/training program, informing practice and individual client care.

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