Behavioral Health and Adjustment to College Life for Student Service Members/Veterans

Lawrence Schonfeld; Lawrence Braue; Sheryl Stire; Amber M Gum; Brittany L Cross; Lisa M Brown

Behavioral Health and Adjustment to College Life for Student Service Members/Veterans

Lawrence Schonfeld, Lawrence Braue, Sheryl Stire, Amber M Gum, Brittany L Cross, Lisa M Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Increasing numbers of student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) are enrolling in college. However, little is known about how their previous military experience affects their adjustment to this new role. The present study tested the hypothesis that SSM/Vs who report adjustment problems in college have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other behavioral health problems compared to those who do not report adjustment problems. SSM/Vs (n=173) at a large, Southeastern, public university completed online surveys that included well-validated screens measuring substance use, depression, PTSD, and other mental disorders. Those reporting difficulties adjusting to university life (28%) reported significantly higher frequencies of behavioral and health problems while in the military, and significantly higher levels of PTSD, depression, and mental health disorders, but no difference in substance use. Implications for improved behavioral health screening and coordination of university behavioral health services with veterans’ health systems are discussed.

Original language	American English
Journal	Journal of American College Health
State	Published - 2015

Keywords

Service Members
student veterans

Disciplines

Mental and Social Health

Cite this

@article{fa0de0225ca54f20b40b27f5346f326e,

title = "Behavioral Health and Adjustment to College Life for Student Service Members/Veterans",

abstract = " Increasing numbers of student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) are enrolling in college. However, little is known about how their previous military experience affects their adjustment to this new role. The present study tested the hypothesis that SSM/Vs who report adjustment problems in college have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other behavioral health problems compared to those who do not report adjustment problems. SSM/Vs (n=173) at a large, Southeastern, public university completed online surveys that included well-validated screens measuring substance use, depression, PTSD, and other mental disorders. Those reporting difficulties adjusting to university life (28%) reported significantly higher frequencies of behavioral and health problems while in the military, and significantly higher levels of PTSD, depression, and mental health disorders, but no difference in substance use. Implications for improved behavioral health screening and coordination of university behavioral health services with veterans{\textquoteright} health systems are discussed.",

keywords = "Service Members, student veterans",

author = "Lawrence Schonfeld and Lawrence Braue and Sheryl Stire and Gum, {Amber M} and Cross, {Brittany L} and Brown, {Lisa M}",

note = "Schonfeld, L., Braue, L.A., Stire, S., Gum, A.M., Cross, B.L., & Brown, L.M. (in press) Behavioral health and adjustment to college life for student service members/veterans. Journal of American College Health.",

year = "2015",

language = "American English",

journal = "Journal of American College Health",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Behavioral Health and Adjustment to College Life for Student Service Members/Veterans

AU - Schonfeld, Lawrence

AU - Braue, Lawrence

AU - Stire, Sheryl

AU - Gum, Amber M

AU - Cross, Brittany L

AU - Brown, Lisa M

N1 - Schonfeld, L., Braue, L.A., Stire, S., Gum, A.M., Cross, B.L., & Brown, L.M. (in press) Behavioral health and adjustment to college life for student service members/veterans. Journal of American College Health.

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Increasing numbers of student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) are enrolling in college. However, little is known about how their previous military experience affects their adjustment to this new role. The present study tested the hypothesis that SSM/Vs who report adjustment problems in college have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other behavioral health problems compared to those who do not report adjustment problems. SSM/Vs (n=173) at a large, Southeastern, public university completed online surveys that included well-validated screens measuring substance use, depression, PTSD, and other mental disorders. Those reporting difficulties adjusting to university life (28%) reported significantly higher frequencies of behavioral and health problems while in the military, and significantly higher levels of PTSD, depression, and mental health disorders, but no difference in substance use. Implications for improved behavioral health screening and coordination of university behavioral health services with veterans’ health systems are discussed.

AB - Increasing numbers of student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs) are enrolling in college. However, little is known about how their previous military experience affects their adjustment to this new role. The present study tested the hypothesis that SSM/Vs who report adjustment problems in college have a higher incidence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and other behavioral health problems compared to those who do not report adjustment problems. SSM/Vs (n=173) at a large, Southeastern, public university completed online surveys that included well-validated screens measuring substance use, depression, PTSD, and other mental disorders. Those reporting difficulties adjusting to university life (28%) reported significantly higher frequencies of behavioral and health problems while in the military, and significantly higher levels of PTSD, depression, and mental health disorders, but no difference in substance use. Implications for improved behavioral health screening and coordination of university behavioral health services with veterans’ health systems are discussed.

KW - Service Members

KW - student veterans

M3 - Article

JO - Journal of American College Health

JF - Journal of American College Health

ER -