The Effect of Military Service on Trajectories of Psychological Distress

• In Event: 3129 - Section on Medical Sociology Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 21. Lifecourse Events and Health

Abstract

Military service has often been depicted as an important life transition and a major turning point in the life course, which significantly affects a variety of life domains and redirects life trajectories and behavioral patterns. Research examining the interplay between military service and mental health has generally focused on service-members who were exposed to destructive combat conditions and centered upon certain types of mental health problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder. The potentially differential impact of serving in the military on mental health based on racial, socioeconomic, and sexual variations has also been understudied. Addressing these limitations in previous research, this study intends to reveal: (1) trajectories of mental health from adolescence through adulthood, (2) whether serving in the military in young adulthood moderates these trajectories, and (3) whether any of these relationships change by race, gender, and parental education. To achieve these objectives, it draws upon data from National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ADD Health) and utilizes multilevel growth curve modeling as the statistical strategy. Findings revealed that military service as a life transition was associated with higher levels of psychological distress for U.S. service-members. In addition, the impact of military service did not show a statistically significant difference for the mental health of individuals with disadvantaged background.

Author

• Ugur Orak, Utica College