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ABSTRACT
Forty-five veterans were recruited from an historically Black university (HBCU) using purposive, non-probability sampling to study their transition to college. Schlossberg’s 4Ss transition model evaluated their Situation (operationalized as combat exposure, dangerous duty), Self (current depressive symptoms), Supports/Deficits (marital status/disability), and Strategies for coping (insurance, income). Bivariate analyses and multivariate regression evaluated the relationship of the independent variable (score on the Combat Exposure Scale) and dependent variable (Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression score), controlling for socio-demographics factors, support, and strategies for coping. The interaction effect of combat exposure or dangerous duty (henceforth referred to as “combat exposure”) and having a disability were assessed to investigate whether change occurred in response to the exposure of combat on disability status. Thirty-three percent of the sample reported a military-related disability, 53% used military insurance, more than half the sample’s income source was military compensation, and more than half used the GI Bill. Severity of combat exposure predicted higher depression score (p < 0.01) but the relationship was greater among disabled students (p = 0.015) and less among married students (p = 0.033). Schlossberg’s 4S theory was partially supported. Neither strategies for coping predicted fewer depressive symptoms in this sample.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Marilyn W. Lewis
Dr. Marilyn W. Lewis is a professor in the Ethelyn R. Strong School of Social Work at Norfolk State University, in Norfolk, VA.
Liyun Wu
Dr. Liyun Wu, upon graduating from University of Michigan at Ann Arbor with a PhD in Social Work and Economics in 2011, has been working as an associate professor at Norfolk State University School of Social Work.