Exploring Family Functioning Of Service Members Exposed To War: Implications For Social Work Practice
No Thumbnail Available
Links to Files
Permanent Link
Collections
Author/Creator
Author/Creator ORCID
Date
2015
Type of Work
Department
Social Work
Program
Doctor of Philosophy
Citation of Original Publication
Rights
This item is made available by Morgan State University for personal, educational, and research purposes in accordance with Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Other uses may require permission from the copyright owner.
Abstract
ork This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences and perceptions of 12 service members regarding their family functioning after homecoming from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraq Freedom (OIF). The need for sustaining social work research on the family functioning and adjustment needs of warrior service members warranted this current study. OEF/OIF engagements necessitated the deployment of 2.2 million service members, caused 6,644 fatalities, 48,000 injured service members and ultimately impacted the lives of more than 3 million families (Institute of Medicine, 2013). These numbers are worrisome as empirical findings confirmed the psychosocial impacts of the visible and invisible injuries of OEF/OIF wars on service members and their families (RAND Corporation, 2008). This current study focused on two overarching research questions: 1. What are the lived experiences of returning service members who were exposed to OEF/OIF war zones in relation to family functioning? 2. What are the perceptions of service members regarding their adjustment to family life after their return from war? In the current study, the term family functioning incorporates service members' adjustment to family life and family functioning after homecoming. The study relied on Reuben Hill's ABC-X model as its philosophical underpinning. The researcher utilized variables in the ABC-X model (A = activating or stress-provoking event, B = resources, C = cognitive appraisals of family members about the event, and X = crisis) to explore the perceptions of service members their about family functioning and describe the interactions between the three pre-crisis variables in the ABC-X model. A descriptive phenomenological perspective was applied in highlighting the lived experiences of 12 service members who deployed to OEF/OIF. Hycner's (1999) modified five-step explicitation process was utilized in the exploration of collated linguistic data. Five core themes emerged: adjustment after homecoming, communication, family roles, marital satisfaction, and sustaining forces. The current study is significant as it increases the intimate understanding regarding the family functioning of OEF/OIF service members after homecoming from war. The study provides empirical validation of the ABC-X model and a relevant contribution to the Department of Defense (DOD), Military policy makers and the Social Work profession at large.