Program of Research on Combat Operational Stress Injury Management and Resilience

In collaboration with the Consortium on Veteran Studies (CVS) members' research goals, the Institute's program of research attempts to develop testable models that account for why some warfighters are resilient and have few if any lasting psychological effects from war in contrast to those who do.

These initial models can then guide research and their applicability to various groups of warfighters across gender, age, specialization, branch of service, and nationality. These models may also be useful in accounting for the resilience of other professions exposed to acute stressors.

Although the research plan may change as a result of collaboration among CVS members, following is the initial research plans:

Phase I, Initial Model Development: Develop a causal model based on existing research literature represented in critical and measurable variables that are arranged in a sequence in which independent variables are on the left, dependent variables on the right, and intervening/moderating variables are in the center. The model would help to account for the variance in post-service outcomes for both positive and negative outcome variables. Write a publishable paper that discusses the relevant research literature from which the IMD is derived.

Phase II, Pilot Interviews: A group of warfighters drawing from a convenience sample (perhaps from members of the local chapter of the Collegiate Veterans Association) who represent key groups: Males, females, primary combat role, secondary combat role, army and marines, time since discharge. Each would be tested using the select measures of the IMD variables. Based in part on their scores, each would be interviewed at length regarding their experiences in an effort to challenge the validity of the IMD variables and detect the importance of others. At least one paper would report on the findings and present a Model of Warfighter Resilience.

Phase III, Testing the Model of Warfighter Resilience among Veterans: A national sample of veterans drawn from the Department of Veterans Affairs data based and will be invited to come to their local Veterans Affairs installation to take the battery of tests and see a counselor, as needed. The tests would include those closely linked to the Warfighter Resilience Model (WRM). If the model meets the standards of a predictive model, variables intervention methods can emerge and be tested in a separate program of research.

Phase IV, Testing the Revised Model of Warfighter Resilience among At-War Troops: Assuming that the WRM is valid, reliable, and predictive for the veteran population, this study will test its utility among warfighters down range (in the war zone). The methodology would be determined in collaboration with military investigators at the time of the study.

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