{"id":{"repo_id":"ttu","oai_identifier":"oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/99962"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/ttu/oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/99962","repository":{"repo_id":"ttu","name":"Texas Technology University","base_url":"https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"The Roles of Psychological Hardiness and Moral Injury in the Relationships Between War-zone Stressors and Internalizing Distress among Post-9/11 Military Service Members","abstract":"Post-9/11 service members have high prevalence rates of psychiatric conditions, which increases the risk for comorbidity and suicidality. Specifically, combat exposure (CE) and post-battle experiences (PBEs) are positively associated with moral injury (MI), PTSD, depression, and suicidality. In addition, war zone environments may lead to the development of fearlessness about death (FAD), through habituation to fear and pain. Thus, examining protective mechanisms is critical, such as resilience factors. The current study aimed to examine (a) whether MI mediates the relationships between CE on PTSD symptoms and between PBEs on depressive symptoms, (b) whether these indirect effects are conditional on levels of psychological hardiness, and (c) whether CE and PBEs predict FAD. Findings from this study indicated MI was a non-significant mediator in the proposed models. Additionally, hardiness only moderated the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms, such that as hardiness increased the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthened. To further clarify this moderation effect, hardiness sub-constructs were analyzed independently. Findings suggest that for individuals with low levels of control, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. However, as levels of control increase, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms weakens and are non-significant. Additionally, for individuals with average to above average levels of commitment, the relationships between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. Individuals low on commitment had a weaker and non-significant relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms. Similarly, for those with higher levels of challenge, the relationship between CE and PTSD symptoms, as well as PBEs and depressive symptoms, strengthened. For individuals with lower challenge, these relationships were weaker and non-significant. Lastly, only PBEs predicted fearlessness about death. Theoretical and empirical explanations for these findings are proposed and discussed, along with limitations and future directions.","abstract_html":"Post-9/11 service members have high prevalence rates of psychiatric conditions, which increases the risk for comorbidity and suicidality. Specifically, combat exposure (CE) and post-battle experiences (PBEs) are positively associated with moral injury (MI), PTSD, depression, and suicidality. In addition, war zone environments may lead to the development of fearlessness about death (FAD), through habituation to fear and pain. Thus, examining protective mechanisms is critical, such as resilience factors. The current study aimed to examine (a) whether MI mediates the relationships between CE on PTSD symptoms and between PBEs on depressive symptoms, (b) whether these indirect effects are conditional on levels of psychological hardiness, and (c) whether CE and PBEs predict FAD. Findings from this study indicated MI was a non-significant mediator in the proposed models. Additionally, hardiness only moderated the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms, such that as hardiness increased the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthened. To further clarify this moderation effect, hardiness sub-constructs were analyzed independently. Findings suggest that for individuals with low levels of control, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. However, as levels of control increase, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms weakens and are non-significant. Additionally, for individuals with average to above average levels of commitment, the relationships between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. Individuals low on commitment had a weaker and non-significant relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms. Similarly, for those with higher levels of challenge, the relationship between CE and PTSD symptoms, as well as PBEs and depressive symptoms, strengthened. For individuals with lower challenge, these relationships were weaker and non-significant. Lastly, only PBEs predicted fearlessness about death. Theoretical and empirical explanations for these findings are proposed and discussed, along with limitations and future directions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Valentine, Brittney L"],"institution":"Texas Tech University","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Doctoral","degree_discipline":"Counseling Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Ingram, Paul"],"committee_members":["Schmidt, Adam","Borgogna, Nicholas","Garos, Sheila"],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-08","date_published":"2024-08","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:04:53Z","subjects":["Military","Moral injury","Psychological hardiness","Depression","PTSD","Suicidality"],"languages":["eng"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/2346/99962","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Ingram, Paul"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Schmidt, Adam","Borgogna, Nicholas","Garos, Sheila"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Valentine, Brittney L"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2024-10-15T20:04:37Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-10-15T20:04:37Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2024-08"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Counseling Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Texas Tech University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Military","Moral injury","Psychological hardiness","Depression","PTSD","Suicidality"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/2346/99962"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Post-9/11 service members have high prevalence rates of psychiatric conditions, which increases the risk for comorbidity and suicidality. Specifically, combat exposure (CE) and post-battle experiences (PBEs) are positively associated with moral injury (MI), PTSD, depression, and suicidality. In addition, war zone environments may lead to the development of fearlessness about death (FAD), through habituation to fear and pain. Thus, examining protective mechanisms is critical, such as resilience factors. The current study aimed to examine (a) whether MI mediates the relationships between CE on PTSD symptoms and between PBEs on depressive symptoms, (b) whether these indirect effects are conditional on levels of psychological hardiness, and (c) whether CE and PBEs predict FAD. Findings from this study indicated MI was a non-significant mediator in the proposed models. Additionally, hardiness only moderated the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms, such that as hardiness increased the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthened. To further clarify this moderation effect, hardiness sub-constructs were analyzed independently. Findings suggest that for individuals with low levels of control, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. However, as levels of control increase, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms weakens and are non-significant. Additionally, for individuals with average to above average levels of commitment, the relationships between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. Individuals low on commitment had a weaker and non-significant relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms. Similarly, for those with higher levels of challenge, the relationship between CE and PTSD symptoms, as well as PBEs and depressive symptoms, strengthened. For individuals with lower challenge, these relationships were weaker and non-significant. Lastly, only PBEs predicted fearlessness about death. Theoretical and empirical explanations for these findings are proposed and discussed, along with limitations and future directions."]},{"key":"dc:format.mimetype","label":"Dc Format Mimetype","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Roles of Psychological Hardiness and Moral Injury in the Relationships Between War-zone Stressors and Internalizing Distress among Post-9/11 Military Service Members"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Ingram, Paul"],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Schmidt, Adam","Borgogna, Nicholas","Garos, Sheila"],"dc:creator":["Valentine, Brittney L"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2024-10-15T20:04:37Z"],"dc:date.available":["2024-10-15T20:04:37Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2024-08"],"dc:description.abstract":["Post-9/11 service members have high prevalence rates of psychiatric conditions, which increases the risk for comorbidity and suicidality. Specifically, combat exposure (CE) and post-battle experiences (PBEs) are positively associated with moral injury (MI), PTSD, depression, and suicidality. In addition, war zone environments may lead to the development of fearlessness about death (FAD), through habituation to fear and pain. Thus, examining protective mechanisms is critical, such as resilience factors. The current study aimed to examine (a) whether MI mediates the relationships between CE on PTSD symptoms and between PBEs on depressive symptoms, (b) whether these indirect effects are conditional on levels of psychological hardiness, and (c) whether CE and PBEs predict FAD. Findings from this study indicated MI was a non-significant mediator in the proposed models. Additionally, hardiness only moderated the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms, such that as hardiness increased the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthened. To further clarify this moderation effect, hardiness sub-constructs were analyzed independently. Findings suggest that for individuals with low levels of control, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. However, as levels of control increase, the relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms weakens and are non-significant. Additionally, for individuals with average to above average levels of commitment, the relationships between PBEs and depressive symptoms strengthens. Individuals low on commitment had a weaker and non-significant relationship between PBEs and depressive symptoms. Similarly, for those with higher levels of challenge, the relationship between CE and PTSD symptoms, as well as PBEs and depressive symptoms, strengthened. For individuals with lower challenge, these relationships were weaker and non-significant. Lastly, only PBEs predicted fearlessness about death. Theoretical and empirical explanations for these findings are proposed and discussed, along with limitations and future directions."],"dc:format.mimetype":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/2346/99962"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:subject":["Military","Moral injury","Psychological hardiness","Depression","PTSD","Suicidality"],"dc:title":["The Roles of Psychological Hardiness and Moral Injury in the Relationships Between War-zone Stressors and Internalizing Distress among Post-9/11 Military Service Members"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Counseling Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["Texas Tech University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:04:53Z"}