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

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.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Level thesis:degree_level

Doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Counseling Psychology

Grantor

Texas Tech University

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Valentine, Brittney L

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Ingram, Paul

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Schmidt, Adam
• Borgogna, Nicholas
• Garos, Sheila

• Military
• Moral injury
• Psychological hardiness
• Depression
• PTSD
• Suicidality

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2346/99962

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ttu-ir.tdl.org:2346/99962