Returning from military service back to civilian life and career may be challenging for American soldiers. Although most veterans find employment, many of them face the problem of applying their skills and qualifications to civilian jobs (Keeling et al., 2018). The article by Bergman et al., titled “The use of prior learning assessment for enhanced military‐to‐civilian transition outcomes,” discusses methods to help these individuals to adjust to college life and complete higher education. This paper was published in 2020 in New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. In this article, the authors discuss the effectiveness of Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) in helping military servants quickly transfer their experience to a civilian career. PLA is an effective tool to help veterans assess their skills and expertise and empower them to complete all credits necessary for college graduation and obtaining a degree that will help advance their civilian careers.
Summary
The main idea that the authors wanted to convey was that PLA helps military servants find application to their skills and contributes to a higher rate of college graduation among veterans. This paper explains PLA in the context of Military-Transition Theory (MTT), which includes three main steps: approaching, managing, and assessing (Bergman et al., 2020). Since 63% of jobs in the United States require post-high school training, entering university seems highly recommended for veterans (Bergman et al., 2020). Fortunately, all of them receive coverage for college tuition; hence, the only problem for former military servants would be to adapt to college. The authors define PLA as the evaluation method of assessing prior skills, work experience, volunteering, community service, and traveling (Bergman et al., 2020). PLA can be performed through knowledge testing or portfolio completion. The former is referred to such examinations as CLEP and DSST, while the latter is the preparation of documents related to prior jobs (Bergman et al., 2020). Both approaches intend to give credit for the learning outcomes a veteran might have obtained during a particular work or life experience.
Various programs were developed in multiple U.S. institutions to implement PLA and help veterans pursue higher education. For example, the authors discuss the University of Louisville’s Organizational Leadership Program, which allows post-military service students to get about 48 semester hours from their prior employment or community work (Bergman et al., 2020). Veterans are certainly obliged to provide valid documentation proving their experience, but it is generally described as a helpful practice for them to obtain additional credits. Overall, the literature reviewed by the authors concludes that PLA not only empowers veterans to enter the realm of academia but also increases the chances of graduation.
Response
I have always viewed military service as an intense period in one’s life and career. Although many universities have special veteran offices, I still think they require additional support in adjusting to a new environment. The article by Bergman et al. presented one of the approaches to help military servants transition to college life and the educational system and ensure that they complete all their courses to graduate. The authors presented an extensive overview of the problem of transitioning from military service to civilian life. However, they could have provided more statistical data on how many veterans were able to find employment immediately after finishing their military career and how many did that after getting higher education. Still, the presented information helped to have a general overview of the issue under discussion. For example, the authors emphasized that 70% of Americans work in companies that require a college degree or any post-secondary certification (Bergman et al., 2020). Since all veterans receive coverage for their tuition, the main problem is not a lack of access to higher education but adaptation to the new environment and rules.
The authors specified that the PLA was assessed in the context of MTT, which was helpful in understanding that this program is available not only to veterans. The authors claimed that PLA is needed to help students graduate with sufficient credits. Furthermore, this program is necessary to provide emotional support to military servants who may lack clarity about the academic system after returning from the army (Bergman et al., 2020). Overall, I think that the evaluation of PLA was sufficient to appreciate how much universities and the federal government try to help students obtain their university degrees, which can potentially advance their civilian careers.
Conclusion
In summary, the article discussed in this essay presented good arguments to demonstrate the importance of the Prior Learning Assessment program, intended to vest additional credits for prior work to veterans entering universities. The main implication of this article is that it contributes to the literature about the military-to-civilian transition. Although veterans receive financial support from the government after completing their military service, they still need emotional support and advice about their career development. Therefore, the assessment of the PLA method as a potential tool to assist veterans across the country was essential. However, the paper’s authors should explore this topic further to find the statistical data about how many post-military students benefited from this program.
The paper focuses on the rates of opioid use for pain management in university-level veteran students in contrast with other populations. As such, I am studying the use of opioids as medical treatment in this particular population within higher education settings. Additionally, It will be essential to highlight and categorize types of opioid misuse and discern the current social issues that arise from it. The relationship between pain management, transition to civilian life, and possible opioid misuse is also central to the theme of the paper. I am synthesizing recent articles on the topic, including questionnaires, to determine why veteran students fail to adapt to the new environment. Difficulties and factors that accompany the transition of former service members may have a causal effect on opioid misuse. My hypothesis is that veteran students need comprehensive support in their transition from military service to the collegiate environment to adapt to civilian life and avoid developing opioid use disorder.
The core issue of opioid misuse is due to many factors, one of which includes the frequency at which it is prescribed for pain management. Understanding the intricacies of typically sustained injuries that veteran students may suffer is critical for the analysis. This also includes the distinct risk factors that veteran students face and other obstacles that are either systematic, medical, social, or legal. In the end, I will compare the found correlations or noticeable patterns between opioid use and risk factors, environments, mental health, and medical prescription, and the rates of suicide or overdosed in relation to opioids. Lastly, some solutions to the opioid misuse problem within the veteran student population will be developed.
Opioid Use in Veteran Students and Other Populations
Recent studies have continued to expose the prescription and illicit opioid crisis that often results in misuse, user disorders, and overdoses (Blanco et al., 2020; Smith et al., 2016; Zesiger, 2018). As of 2018, two million individuals have met the diagnostic criteria for opioid use disorders, which is a decrease from the previous years while still being incredibly concerning (Blanco et al., 2020). Though the misuse of opioid is not found strictly in specific communities and has an expansive reach, the adverse effects are more prevalent and frequent in certain populations than in others. These populations include groups within the judicial system, rural populations, veterans, youth and adolescents, and individuals who inject drugs. Each faces unique obstacles towards treatment while certain issues overlap between groups. Many of the barriers student veterans face with opioid misuse are actually not exclusive to their social group and have much deeper roots. Opioid use disorder, or OUD, is widely prevalent in veteran groups due to a number of distinctive factors such as risk factors related to OUD, chronic pain, and pain that is made further complicated by mental illness. During conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, prescriptions of opioids increased while opioid overdoses increased appropriately.
Student veterans face similar barriers towards treatment that the general population does, with certain exceptions. Stigma can often be the origin of many obstacles, such as system-level limitations that can appear as a lack of insurance coverage or laws restricting information sharing of OUD treatment. The barriers can also appear on the provider level, with certain ensuring companies lacking the motivation or knowledge on OUD treatment. Barriers may even be self-imposed by a patient in cases when they are unaware of effective treatments for OUDs.
As the focus of the paper addresses the use of opioids among veteran students, it is essential to understand their presence within higher education environments, especially in relation to their non-military peers. Smith et al. (2016) compared veteran and non-veteran students in six areas of transitioning into college, which were health, fitting in or social acceptance, emotional adjustment, productivity, perceived career support, and social engagement. The study assessed that veteran students rated with more difficulty in social engagement with negative trends in emotional adjustment, with certain researchers hypothesizing that they may only feel at ease with other veterans. In comparison to civilian students, veteran students displayed more issues with hostility and anger, higher work and family obligations, and a sense of lack of support. Outside of the education field, veterans face a probability of engaging in binge drinking, substance abuse, depression, and suicidality. Data collected from over 298,000 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan illustrated that nearly 37% of veterans were diagnosed with a mental illness (Smith et al., 2016). Currently, the data suggests that veteran students may adapt to higher education life but are likely to experience difficulties in social, psychological, and personal ways. These factors can be made more complicated by physical pain and susceptibility to misuse of opioids.
Veteran students ranked much lower in the fitting in or social acceptance category of the questionnaire. The analysis of the results suggested trauma to be a significant predictor of the levels of social acceptance. However, students with trauma did not have to be veterans to score lower in the social acceptance area of the survey. Despite this, veteran students were significantly more likely to have trauma than their civilian peers, reaching 88% of the participants. The authors concluded that while veteran students faced alienation, it was the trauma that predicted a student’s ability to fit in regardless of their veteran or civilian status. Additionally, while civilian students with trauma scored lower in emotional adjustment, veteran students only suggested a negative trend but otherwise matched others in the same area. This may be due to the expectancy effect, as veterans always have a higher expectation of experiencing trauma and may develop a type of immunization towards it to cope while also likely to have received treatment for trauma prior.
Both veteran and civilian students fall into groups of individuals who have records of opioid misuse. Opioid misuse and abuse have slightly different definitions within higher education settings, with misuse focusing on the use of heroin or non-medical use of opioid prescriptions. Zesiger (2018) investigated which individual, social, or institutional factors led to opioid misuse, whether misuse was higher in veteran students, and the effect of misuse of sleep, physical and mental well-being, and suicidality. Data collected from a large sample size revealed that certain characteristics such as being an undergraduate often correlated with high opioid misuse. Veteran students, especially those with experience in hazardous duty, reported having elevated opioid misuse. Additionally, students that reported misusing opioids noted to have suicidal thoughts or past suicide attempts twice as frequently as non-using students. Often, they also reported that they have health complications such as chronic illness, depression, and anxiety. This suggests that opioid misuse is a hazard in social, economic, and medical ways and affects large groups, irrelevant of their military or non-military status. However, since veteran students are the most exposed to trauma, pain management, and opioid prescriptions, they become especially vulnerable to the misuse of opioids within a higher education environment.
Factors of Veteran Students Transitioning into Higher Education
College or university time is an essential developmental and transitional period for all kinds of students. During this period, they acquire needed knowledge/skills, learn new behavior patterns, and shape their lifestyle, adapting to new roles in their life. Under Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1984), transitions lead to changes in one’s conventions, roles, relationships, or patterns, while the quality of such changes is determined by personal and external factors (Higgerson, 2017). This theory is known for individual focus concentrating on adult’s perceptions rather than particular events. Transitions can be divided into moving in, moving through, and moving out phases (Higgerson, 2017). During the initial stage, people recognize that they should embrace a new identity and abandon the old one to progress in their life. Next, moving through is a threshold zone when one stops to be who they were earlier but have not become those they plan to be. Finally, the moving out phase is when individuals incorporate and integrate new knowledge, behavior patterns, and roles into their lives and start looking for new things.
Veterans who consider pursuing higher education move out of their military career and enter the moving in stage to become students. During this period, both young and experienced adults are expected to “learn the ropes”; become familiar with new routines, relationships, and roles (Jenner, 2017). For typical first-year college students, such transition occurs more naturally since they are familiar with the environment and culture they will experience. The latter usually have more robust engagement that they carry through the linear transition from primary and secondary education to higher education in order to attain the degree (Jenner, 2017). For that reason, the Input-Environment-Output model is not applicable for returning students who have more complex input characteristics and deal with consequences of interrupted education careers.
There are four major sets of factors under Schlossberg’s theory that influence an individual’s ability to manage transition: Situation, Self, Support, and Strategies (Schlossberg, 1984). The Situation covers issues related to triggers, role change, control, and stress, while Self assesses how an individual views life under specific personal and demographic characteristics (Higgerson, 2017). Support considers social assistance that one may receive from institutions, friends, families, or other relationships. The last S is dedicated to the assessment of coping responses during the transition.
Situation
Many student veterans consider the military career as their primary option, not a temporary occupation. They are often involuntarily discharged from the military service due to medical or physical reasons and related circumstances. Although the number of former servicemen who apply for the GI Bill program is growing, approximately 80% of veteran students drop out of higher education and ultimately fail to receive anticipated degrees (Marcus, 2017). They have specific, usually involuntary and frustrating, reasons behind college enrollment. Thus, they instead turn to an education career as a backup prospect lacking aspiration to pursue a degree. They also find it challenging to accommodate the new environment.
The success of transition often depends on how a former military member perceives the role change that may be considered a loss or gain. Gregg et al. (2016) reveal that 15% of respondents tend to judge their situation negatively and find it difficult to adjust to their new roles in regular society. Financial issues have the most significant impact on the ability to continue the studies for both traditional and veteran students. These issues, together with the drastic change in the culture, undermine their sense of control. Military members have used to live in a highly structured and regimented environment where they followed a specific chain of command and rules. More loose and independent collegiate culture makes them less confident, contributing to the feeling of being out of control. Student veterans tend to develop a culture shock by comparing their former structured life to their current experience as students. They also face challenges when balancing other nontraditional roles (spouse, parent, or employee) and their studies.
Self
Veteran students have used to identify themselves by affiliation with different military branches and their military ranks. For that reason, they struggle to find their military self inside the educational institution. In the college environment, former military members become simply students identified by their age, race, socioeconomic status, or ethnicity. They also struggle to self-identify their veteran status and find other ways to determine if they are successful within the new environment (Higgerson, 2017). Student veterans are usually older than others, have their own families and full-time jobs, and may define themselves in multiple ways. All these roles impact their psychological resources, including commitment and resilience.
Support
Social support plays a vital role in every transition process. Active military members subordinate to their commanders and find support within the structure and members of their unit. When they enter a collegiate environment, they tend to disconnect from other students who do not have similar experiences and interests. For that reason, student veterans opt to socialize with other former military members with whom they have more in common. Student Veteran Offices (SVO), faculty, staff, and peers are expected to deliver the support necessary to help former servicemen abandon their military identity. The support inside the institution is vital to former soldiers in combating isolation and improving social connections (Higgerson, 2017). Family members, especially spouses, provide the most support outside the institution. The most crucial task is defining how student veterans identify themselves to determine if they want to be isolated or seek assistance from university and peers for further socialization.
Strategy
To cope with transitions, individuals should follow strategies that help manage the situation, direct actions, and mitigate related stress. In the military, individuals have specific instructions and training that provide information and ways to cope with various issues. In college or university, adult learners with a military background may struggle to overcome barriers to information. It contrasts with traditional students who usually do not face similar challenges. For that reason, veteran-specific services initiated by institutions and Veteran Offices are welcomed to provide student veterans with strategies delivering valuable and accurate information. Some may find strategies related to local organizations, families, and peers more appropriate to cope with the transition.
To conclude this part, student veterans lack engagement and involvement to contribute to the higher education experience. They face unique barriers during their transition from military to civilian life, including difficulties in satisfying their family and social roles, difficulties socializing with other students and peers, and acculturating to campus life. Following the military service, student veterans struggle to balance school with their family responsibilities and other obligations stemming from civilian life. In their case, the role exit is often not voluntary and hampers the process of disengagement from the previous role. This student group struggles to accommodate the collegiate culture where their military identity is not recognized and appreciated by traditional students. In other words, they face a culture shock and do not know how to cope with it, and often turn to additional opioids to mitigate their pain. Different co-identity organizations, faculties, peers, and families play an essential role in supporting and guiding former military members for a successful transition. When they lack strategies to cope with stress caused by transition, the risk of dropout, mental disorders, and opioid misuse becomes higher.
Impact of Opioid Misuse on Veteran Students and Solutions
Impact on Health and Civilian Life
All student veterans are at high risk of developing OUD or substance use disorder (SUD) due to a variety of factors not influencing traditional students. Military service often ends with trauma or mental health issues (PTSD, depression, or anxiety disorders) that may require a prescription of painkillers. While facing challenges adjusting to school and civilian life, brave former service members may engage in opioid or alcohol misuse to cope with their pain and frustration. They divert from prescription, increasing the dosage, and take opioids beyond pain-management purposes. Chronic pain is often complicated by mental health issues and struggles to adjust to the new social roles (Blanco et al., 2020). Those who experienced combat, lost their friends, or were wounded are even more vulnerable to OUD than those deployed, non-exposed to hostilities (Kime, 2019). Misuse of prescription opioids may lead to death by overdose and even impair already poor mental health. Blanco et al. (2020) report that veterans are two times more likely to experience overdose than other populations. OUD ultimately leads to poverty, incarceration, social dysfunction, and poor health.
In other words, opioid misuse not only postpones and hinders the transition to civilian life among former servicemen but also makes it impossible by strengthening barriers. Spouses and children of adult veterans also feel the adverse impact of OUD. Communication between family members becomes complicated, trust begins to erode, and quarrels occur more often. The latter may cause severe trauma or physical harm to family members, especially to children. In addition, spouses are at high risk of developing unhealthy ways to cope with the situation. As a result, addicted student veterans may fail to satisfy their roles as parents and spouses, become not interested and isolated, ultimately losing their families. A similar effect can be seen in relation to career prospects which deteriorate due to misuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs.
Impact on Education
The majority of articles concentrate on the effect of opioid misuse on academic performance among adolescents and young adults. For instance, Paolini (2020) reveals that students involved in drug usage are at higher risk of developing erratic behavior, absenteeism, have a decline in communication and leadership skills, and receive lower grades. Hence, drug misuse lowers student performance, decreases engagement and motivation, and leads to issues with self-control.
What is more, lower intrinsic motivation accompanied by severe opioid sickness cause the interruption of education. According to Ellis et al. (2020), addicted students cannot focus on education and instead do their best to acquire another dose. As a result, they delay completion of studies or stop their education completely; thus, they attain lower education than others. Many students report the initial benefits of using opioids for non-medical purposes associated with increased energy, ability to focus, and psychological relief (Ellis et al., 2020). Nevertheless, in the long run, opioid addiction causes adverse health problems and hinders the socialization process.
All mentioned consequences may be stronger among student veterans who initially face similar social issues due to trauma, stress, and transition to civilian life. Afuseh et al. (2020) found that young adults and adults between 26-64 years usually develop SUD due to high-stress jobs, academic stress, family life problems, and the use of addictive prescription medications. The authors also reveal that younger veterans with lower income and fewer years of education are more likely to develop opioid misuse than their more experienced colleagues. All these risk factors are present in the life of student veterans who need additional support to avoid addiction.
Solutions
In general, the rising opioid misuse issue among former service members requires comprehensive support strategies and initiatives from governmental agencies, health care institutions, families, and veteran organizations. Counseling and advising interactions are needed in the higher education realm to direct former military members towards alternative pain and coping strategies. Campus healthcare should turn to health screening activities to identify mental health concerns as soon as possible (Jenner, 2017). Additional efforts are needed to reduce stigma and encourage veterans to integrate into the college environment and the fabric of civilian life. Finally, special courses and training are necessary to develop emotional regulation skills and promote adequate health strategy.
Co-identity organizations are important intermediaries that contribute to the socialization of minorities and special social groups. These organizations provide their members with a safe zone and facilitate their transition to higher education by ensuring cultural expression and advocacy. Such institutions are also beneficial because of further support of social involvement developing connections with faculty members (Jenner, 2017). It is in line with Schlossberg’s (1984) theory and her view on the importance of social support. Participants can share their own feelings and stories regarding deployment with former military peers. Thus, it is beneficial for social reintegration and gradual transition to college build relationships. The impact of veteran organizations currently needs additional investigation to obtain more evidence. Nevertheless, membership in such institutions seems to be beneficial for former service members since it reduces the chances of them remaining lost and isolated due to the transition.
Colleges and universities should provide complete information to student veterans on their websites regarding their benefits and financial aid since financial issues are the main constraints among all students. Clear guidance on reaching someone to discuss the benefits process and providing access to DVA certifying officials and veteran offices will foster transition in its initial stage. Tutoring assistance is needed to address the gaps in student veterans’ education by directing them to unique resources. Students should feel that they seek answers independently, not asking for help as they do not like to do it. In this case, the veterans support offices are of high importance since they deliver accurate information/ resources, eliminate barriers, and foster the connection to the institution. The office also should have someone in charge of helping and advocating for local veterans. This person should be able to assist them, explain the institution’s policy and the way military credits are transferred. For instance, he or she can encourage student veterans to take a lower-level course to enrich their fundamental knowledge and facilitate study at a higher level. The office also has to provide career services and mental health counseling. The veterans support offices contribute to the military-friendly culture, and its presence on the campus shows former servicemen that they are valued.
Conclusion
Student veterans are more vulnerable to OUD compared to traditional students due to a myriad of risk factors. During the transition from military service to civilian life, they struggle to identify themselves as veterans and balance their education with family and work obligations. It is also challenging to reestablish social connections away from a rigid and structured military environment. The list of factors that impact transition to higher education includes previous experience, role/control change, psychological resources, social support, and choice of strategy to cope with it. Student veterans often lack support from their families and society as a whole, feeling isolated and abandoned. Involuntary discharge is usually perceived as a loss and leads to lower engagement and motivation. It is often accompanied by opioid treatment of injuries and mental health issues. For that reason, this social group is more vulnerable to engage in binge drinking, depression, substance abuse, and suicidality.
Opioid addiction may not only result in death due to overdose but also deteriorate the physical and mental health of veterans. In the academic environment, drug addiction lowers their engagement and motivation to continue their studies. Instead, it makes them prioritize drug-seeking behavior over attending college or university. Addicts are not interested in their careers, lack leadership skills, and endanger their families. In order to avoid such consequences, colleges and universities should provide former service members with necessary information and assistance. I have found that student veteran offices and their staff help former military members socialize within the previously unknown environment and guide their academic efforts. Other solutions would be financial aid, membership in veteran organizations, regular mental health screening, tutoring, and counseling. To avoid OUD, health care institutions and schools should promote alternative ways of coping with traumas and injuries.
Higgerson, P. R. (2017). Student veterans and their transition to becoming a college student (Publication No. 3219) [Master’s thesis, Eastern Illinois University]. The Keep.
Jenner, B. M. (2017). Student veterans and the transition to higher education: Integrating existing literatures. Journal of Veterans Studies, 2(2), 26-44. Web.
The life satisfaction of veterans who experienced war events is a prominent topic of research for social workers and psychologists. The Posttraumatic Growth framework (PTG) has been suggested as a promising tool to improve the mental state of individuals who have undergone military training and participated in combat, allowing them to overcome the negative effects of inflicted trauma (Stevelink et al., 2018). The research proposes that PTG can be used as a framework that focuses on the individual’s capacity to implement their personal resources in the battle against trauma (Morgan et al., 2017; Mattson et al., 2018). Stein et al. (2018) discuss the idea of posttraumatic growth as an attempt to improve one’s condition through the provision of external or internal resources that assist the person in achieving their goals. Therefore, the current research aims to establish the factors of posttraumatic growth that facilitate goal-setting in war veterans after undergoing PTG therapy or experiencing PTG.
Given the discussed information, the current study proposes a question for research. As such, which aspects of posttraumatic growth in war veterans can facilitate the process of personal long-term goal-setting? It is well-known that traumatizing experiences can hinder the achievement of aims in veterans, decreasing the motivation to establish and attain long-term goals due to psychological distress (Mattson et al., 2018). However, the PTG approach has been shown that therapy that initializes positive growth not only affects the person’s well-being but also increases the desire to create and achieve targets (Tedeschi et al., 2018). Although several studies have noted this trend, it is yet unclear which factors of PTG enhance goal-setting processes in war veterans, thus suggesting a novel area of research.
Quantitative SEM and Possible Datasets
Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) has been successfully used by scholars as a method of understanding particular concepts. As SEM allows explaining the connections between measured and non-measured variables, it is extremely useful when exploring phenomena linked to psychological notions (Spero, 2016). In veteran research, SEM was used by Morgan et al. (2017) to investigate the connection between PTG, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and life satisfaction in military veterans. The authors conducted a questionnaire among war veterans, assessing how PTG is associated with PTSD and life satisfaction and whether core beliefs and rumination played a role in achieving PTG.
The findings show that PTG is related to deliberate rumination, which is the individual’s perception of the traumatic event enhanced by PTG, while PTG was connected to higher life satisfaction. From this perspective, PTG can indeed enhance the veterans’ perceptions of trauma; as life satisfaction has been suggested to be linked with goal-setting, PTG might positively impact goal creation in veterans (Morgan et al., 2017). Although the authors have not published the dataset used for the analysis, the questionnaires used can be accessed and utilized for future studies.
A study that implements SEM was performed by Spero (2016), who explored how experiencing PTG is connected to the shattering of world beliefs. It is reported that veterans whose set of beliefs or life goals is shattered but then restructured are more likely to report PTG. As such, it is stated that world beliefs can be equal to goals. However, it is yet unclear whether the restructuring promotes PTG or if PTG can initiate a new goal-setting process. Similarly, while no datasets are available from the two mentioned researchers, the questionnaires can be utilized freely.
Questions
Population: Veterans
Key concepts: Posttraumatic growth, goal-setting, life satisfaction, SEM
Research topic (for now): Goal-setting via posttraumatic growth in military veterans: factors facilitating goal-creation
One-Page Specific Aims
The life satisfaction of veterans who experienced war events is a prominent topic of research for social workers and psychologists. The Posttraumatic Growth framework (PTG) has been suggested as a promising tool to improve the mental state of individuals who have undergone military training and participated in combat, allowing them to overcome the negative effects of inflicted trauma (Stevelink et al., 2018). The research proposes that PTG can be used as a framework that focuses on the individual’s capacity to implement their personal resources in the battle against trauma (Morgan et al., 2017; Mattson et al., 2018). Stein et al. (2018) discuss the idea of posttraumatic growth as an attempt to improve one’s condition through the provision of external or internal resources that assist the person in achieving their goals. Therefore, the current research aims to establish the factors of posttraumatic growth that facilitate goal-setting in war veterans after undergoing PTG therapy or experiencing PTG.
Statement of Problem/Background/Purpose
Traumatizing experience often prevents military veterans from performing numerous activities due to its negative effects. Lowered life satisfaction, shattering of world beliefs, and decreased motivation to attain goals can occur after undergoing military service or participating in war actions (Morgan et al., 2017). Although PTG has been suggested as a promising tool for addressing such concerns and resolving the adverse psychological consequences, its utilization to establish long-term aims is still to be explored. As such, PTG is especially useful when managing negative experiences, and it can significantly improve the veterans’ resilience; it has also been argued that PTG allows for the use of external and external resources needed to achieve targets (Morgan et al., 2017; Tedeschi et al., 2018). However, it is not yet clear how PTG might promote goal-setting and which factors influence the emergence of motivation to create personal objectives. Therefore, the problem statement for this study proposes that it is necessary to assess PTG as an instrument for improving goal-setting in veterans. This research aims to examine whether PTG therapy increases military veterans’ desire to establish long-term personal goals as opposed to such desire before undergoing therapy.
Implications
In the future, the results of this study can be implemented to broaden the understanding of PTG and its impact on the psychological well-being of the veteran population. Goal-setting is of tremendous importance for life satisfaction and welfare, and understanding how to facilitate goal-setting in veterans can tremendously improve the practical approach to mental rehabilitation. Based on the findings, it might be possible to utilize PTG therapy as an aid for veterans experiencing a lack of motivation to follow particular goals, enhancing the social work approaches to veteran assistance.
PTG Measures and Definition
PTG is most commonly defined as a process of positive transformation following trauma. Although a precise definition has not been developed, the authors who introduced this term, Tedeschi and Calhoun, suggest that PTG is a “positive transformation following a struggle with trauma or highly challenging circumstances” (Sanki & O’Connor, 2021, p. 2). From this perspective, PTG is the positive change occurring as a result of coping with traumatic events and reflecting on the acquired experience. Thus, the outcome of PTG is the person’s developmental growth and acceptance of distress as a part of life. It is proposed that any human being is inherently seeking to return to a state of well-being which is disrupted after a traumatizing encounter (Tedeschi & Moore, 2021). Through PTG, the individual can re-establish their well-being, resuming the normal flow of life. In this regard, PTG is seen as an aspect of one’s mental health that promotes coping with trauma, its nature being the innate desire to maintain psychological welfare after excessive stress (Schubert & Schmidt, 2016). However, given the differences in personal capacities for growth, some individuals require additional therapeutic support to ensure adequate growth and re-establishment of their normal mental condition.
Based on this understanding of PTG, Tedeschi and Calhoun developed a PTG Inventory (PTGI) that assesses whether an individual experienced PTG. Other measures have also been introduced, including PTGI’s short form (PTGI-SF), Stress-Related Benefit Scales (SRGS), Benefit Finding Scale (BFS), and other instruments that examine whether the positive change in five primary domains has been achieved (Schubert & Schmidt, 2016). As such, Mattson et al. (2018) investigated how coping style, personality traits, and their interactions impact PTSD-related PTG, using PTGI as a primary assessment instrument. Another research by Morgan et al. (2017) utilized the same questionnaire to establish whether the facilitation of PTG could improve military veterans’ life satisfaction.
A different approach was adopted by Spero (2016), who showed that PTG is connected to the process of shattering world beliefs through the use of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Mark et al. (2018) evaluated a cluster of studies that implemented PTGI and PTGI-SF, reporting that both of these measures are valid options for exploring PTG occurrence. In the mentioned studies, PTG is most often considered a latent variable, as this concept cannot be directly measured and must be adapted using an appropriate methodology (Tedeschi et al., 2018). SEM allows for such adaptation and understanding of the connections between the notions researched.
War Veterans and PTG
In military research, PTG is identified similarly to the aforementioned definitions. However, the origin of trauma is typically connected to experiences obtained during military service, such as participating in war encounters and witnessing gruesome events (Mark et al., 2018). In addition, as veterans frequently suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the possibility of its occurrence must also be accounted for when conducting PTG military research.
Goal-Setting
In academic literature, goal-setting is a crucial part of studies that explore human behavior. Psychology interprets goal-setting as a “detailed planning of what the person will do, including a definition of the behavior specifying frequency, intensity or duration as well as at least one context” (Eckhoff & Weiss, 2020, p. 277). Therefore, goal-setting can be seen as creating a detailed objective with a specific outcome expected to be completed in a particular timeframe. Based on this assumption, Locke and Latham developed the goal-setting theory, which proposed that goals are intentionally chosen (Locke & Latham, 2019). Studies frequently utilize goal-setting theory as a framework that adequately defines this phenomenon and introduces strategies for measuring how goal-setting is related to other types of human behavior and personality characteristics (Locke & Latham, 2019). The methods used are usually questionnaires and interviews that identify whether goal-setting has occurred.
Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2019). The development of goal-setting theory: A half-century retrospective. Motivation Science, 5(2), 93–105. Web.
Mattson, E., James, L., & Engdahl, B. (2018). Personality factors and their impact on PTSD and posttraumatic growth is mediated by coping style among OIF/OEF veterans. Military medicine, 183(9-10).
Morgan, J. K., Desmarais, S. L., Mitchell, R. E., & Simons-Rudolph, J. M. (2017). Posttraumatic stress, posttraumatic growth, and satisfaction with life in military veterans. Military Psychology, 29(5), 434-447.
Sanki, M., & O’Connor, S. A. (2021). Developing an understanding of Post Traumatic Growth: Implications and application for research and intervention. International Journal of Wellbeing, 11(2), 1-19. Web.
Spero, R. A. (2016). The trajectory of coping with trauma: Meaning-making as a factor in determining the trauma outcome for combat veterans [Doctor’s Dissertation, West Virginia University]. ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.
Tedeschi, R. G., & Moore, B. A. (2021). Posttraumatic growth as an integrative therapeutic philosophy. Journal of Psychotherapy Integration, 31(2), 180–194. Web.
Tedeschi, R. G., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Taku, K., & Calhoun, L. G. (2018). Posttraumatic growth: Theory, research, and applications. Taylor & Francis.
Most military personnel are exposed to a harsh environment that leaves them psychologically or physically injured and in need of long-term care. As a result, many veterans discharged from duties after accidents in the line of work qualify for reparations set by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) (Maynard & Nelson, 2020). Benefits provided to these former soldiers often go towards healthcare costs and other day-to-day expenses. However, the eligibility for veterans compensation programs ranges from 0% to 100%, based on an examination and average impairment incurred by a service member that hinders their earning capacity (Maynard & Nelson, 2020). It is unclear how the people who do not qualify for reimbursement survive after being discharged from duty, especially the older adults. Therefore, this needs and asset-based assessment explores the aging veterans living in the Hudson Valley, New York, to identify the availability of service connections essential for a decent lifestyle.
Engaging Stakeholders
Proposing changes that support the veterans requires a clear plan to identify the relevant stakeholders. According to Grinnell et al. (2019), stakeholders are people who make decisions about key social programs intended to serve specific clients. In connection to this study, the clients are aging veterans residing in the Hudson Valley. The program should also consider any other retired soldier whose disability does not appear until years later. The inclusion of all former service members can help make decisions that improve the lives of those who find it difficult to reintegrate into society following long years of combat. The individuals and groups involved in the decision-making process include policymakers, program funders, the general public, program administrators, social work practitioners, and clients (Grinnell et al., 2019). Policymakers include lawmakers and personnel who run agencies concerned with veteran affairs. For instance, Service Connection and VA are two organizations responsible for assessing and reimbursing veterans who require compensations.
The general public is a special interest group because their taxes go towards rehabilitation programs and managing organizations that help veterans. Therefore, the people hold lawmakers and program administrators responsible by ensuring public funds are spent wisely (Grinnell et al., 2019). This means that members of the Hudson Valley, in collaboration with the private institutions and social workers, can identify gaps that need to be filled to improve veteran affairs. The community can propose the construction of physical exercise and healthcare services, nutrition and feeding programs, mental counseling services, and housing of the retired soldiers in the region.
Describing the Program
The problem identified in this case is the lack of Service Connection among the aging veterans living in the Hudson Valley. Service Connection refers to US Veterans Affairs disability benefits eligibility for the injuries or impairment acquired during or aggravated by military service (Kane et al., 2021). Therefore, this crucial program is only available to veterans whose medical conditions were directly caused by the military service or the conditions exposed to the members while in the military. In 2018, the number of veterans who qualified to access remuneration was 4.7 million, and the total expenditure in the year was $78 billion (Maynard & Nelson, 2020). Consequently, most individuals are excluded from the compensation list, which frustrates them as they navigate through challenges experienced during their reintegration into civil society. The service-connected members enjoy a wide range of benefits, such as supported work settings, residential services for veterans with mental conditions, inpatient and outpatient services (Maynard & Nelson, 2020). The treatments are catered for by the government based on the eligibility percentage, and reimbursement provides a significant income to those whose earning capacity has been reduced.
While this program is beneficial to the veterans in the service-connected listing, other former service members are neglected by the government. Specifically, there is an estimate that individuals eligible for Service Connection will increase to over 5.6 million and raise expenditure to $129 billion by the year 2028 (Maynard & Nelson, 2020). This sharp increase in program dependents will strain the financial budget set aside to help the veterans. Therefore, Morgan et al. (2020) proposed reducing barriers to accessing these programs by tangible components such as cash, scholarship, social amenities, and healthcare facilities. For some veterans, especially mentally ill and older adults, this compensation is the only source of income. As a result, there is a need to expand eligibility to cover some of the cases ignored by the qualification criteria.
Focus the Evaluation
Evaluation of the program begins with the identification and definition of a social problem to be addressed. Grinnell et al. (2019) defined social need as something that is necessary to sustain the human condition, to which people have rights. In the case of Houston Valley veterans and all other individuals, each person should have access to clean water, nutritious food, safe housing, clean air, and healthcare, among other services. New York State has over 838,000 veterans, with 53% being over 65 years or older (NYS Health Foundation [NHS], 2017). These individuals are at a higher risk of requiring mental and other health services, including access to programs that help them reintegrate into society. For instance, NHS (2017) reported that 22% of the post-9/11 veterans displayed a probable mental health diagnosis, with 16% indicating signs of major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. This makes their lives difficult and creates a need to have healthcare services to help the veterans live a normal life by addressing mental health issues.
Gather Credible Evidence
Establishing a lasting solution for the identified social needs to help the veterans should be multidimensional. Veterans experience different problems, including mental health illnesses and other challenges as they transition to civilian life, and varied remedies could be implemented to help discharged service members. For instance, Igielnik (2020) observed 35% of the veterans had trouble paying bills, 28% received unemployment compensation, 20% struggled with alcohol or substance abuse, 16% had trouble getting medical care, and 12% obtained food benefits. Such figures show that the number of veterans who require government support to gain stability following the end of their service is high and might inflate the yearly financial budget. As Maynard and Nelson (2020) indicated, the cost of veteran compensation will exceed $129 billion in 2028. Consequently, direct and indirect interventions should be implemented to address social needs while keeping the expenditure at a reasonable level.
This social problem will be resolved by identifying the available community assets and resources to help the elderly veterans of Hudson Valley. Allar et al. (2017) indicated asset mapping in society considers residents with skills and expertise to help, voluntary clubs and networks, local public and private institutions, physical and economic assets. Using this description, there are various assets available for the people of Hudson Valley to utilize to help the veterans. NHS (2017) noted that in New York, there are 12 VA medical centers, 48 outpatient clinics, and 16 Vet Centers that specialize in readjustment counseling. These physical amenities are a direct form of intervention that offers veterans’ healthcare and mental service. The two main medical centers in Hudson Valley are Castle Point Campus of the VA and Franklin Delano Roosevelt Hospital (NHS, 2017). Seven community-based clinics offer health services in Carmel, Eastern Dutchess, Goshen, Monticello, New City, Port Jervis, and Poughkeepsie, as well as three mobile clinics. Middle Town and White Plains Vet Centers are also nearby, and people who reside in Hudson Valley can easily access these two facilities.
Several VA Hudson Valley utilities have integrated recent technology to help minimize travel but still offer essential services to veterans. Hospitals such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Castle Point, New City, and Port Jervis provide video conferencing, home telehealth services, and store-and-forward telehealth (“Health services,” n.d.). Such health systems allow the veterans to securely set up remote visits and transmit health data to the experts based in those centers. Common services offered remotely include mental health, dermatology, retinal care, primary care, bariatric surgery, and rehabilitation. Social workers are critical in healthcare because they help veterans and their families manage difficulties by offering home health, legal services, transportation, and community living resources. The social workers in Hudson Valley are available in all seven community-based clinics (“Health services,” n.d.). Health services in the Hudson Valley include primary care, specialty care, mental health, social programs and services focusing on housing and transitional support. The available resources and assets within the area sufficiently help address the identified problem, and the assistance can be extended to all other veterans who do not qualify for Service Connection.
Grinnell, R. M., Gabor, P., & Unrau, Y. A. (2019). Program evaluation for social workers: Foundations of evidence-based programs. Oxford University Press, USA.
Health services | VA Hudson Valley health care | Veterans affairs. (n.d.). Veterans Affairs. Web.
Morgan, N. R., Aronson, K. R., Perkins, D. F., Bleser, J. A., Davenport, K., Vogt, D., Copeland, L. A., Finley, E. P., & Gilman, C. L. (2020). Reducing barriers to post-9/11 veterans’ use of programs and services as they transition to civilian life. BMC Health Services Research, 20(1), 1-14. Web.
Professionally, Johnson is a construction worker who is relatively skilled at what he does. He has also served his country as a soldier and had to go for overseas missions outside his country. His recent mission was to Afghanistan where along with some of his mates he did a successful and deserved service for the United States of America. Nevertheless, this came at a grueling cost. He has come back home with an injured arm and he is not very sure whether the war torn country of Afghanistan has rendered his injury a permanent one. Since his November 21 return, he has had to struggle through his construction profession and also through his romantic relationship. He has confessed that the changes that have occurred from his long term overseas mission have changed him, most of which is not for the good. He admits that he is not the same person he was when he left for the mission (Verburg, 2010, para.2).
The 21 year old Johnson already has a story to tell, as young as he is. The thing that is interesting is that similar situations await three thousand soldiers who have been deployed from overseas theatres of explosion and exposure of live bullet fires over the last one year, with many of them having had served in Iraq for the last eight months. The question that openly stands to be answered is this one: What awaits our soldiers when they return home from combat or war? It is clear that most of them struggle in their efforts in trying to come to terms with the constantly changing time. Soldiers like Johnson have had to adjust their living styles and this not only affects them but also affects the people that surround them. What are some of the efforts that have been put in place by the government to make sure that these soldiers are as comfortable as possible after they have returned home? After all, they deserve a reward that is of worth considering their service they have done to the nation. This paper tries to look into this issue.
Veterans: Their Mental and Physical Health
The Brigade Combat Team of the 32nd Infantry has been the 2nd largest group of soldiers to be deployed since the Second World War. Despite the preparation that the federal state and the other agencies involved have had in order to make sure that the soldiers have had a safe landing home, some of the problems that they have been experiencing on their return home have been rampant post traumatic stress disorders (Freshour, 2006, para.10). The numbers of divorces that have occurred between 2000 and 2004 in the military have increased by 53% and this has a lot to do with the stresses that a family may go through in these times of deployment. In addition, extension of missions is having a toll on families in a strenuous way. To curb this effect, the military is developing some programs that will help the families that are going through such rough times as these. These programs enable families left behind to first of all understand why the deployment and extension is taking place after which they are taken through other programs that will help them cope with the same. Margaret, a senior director in the Naval Base explains how the staff in the bases has been taken through training courses that will help spouses to the soldiers address the concerns that come about by such sudden departure of their loved ones.
When these soldiers return, it is rather obvious that the stresses that were once felt will reduce. Nevertheless, the imbalances caused by their departure will more often than not have to be minimized further through constant counseling sessions and probable medication. The Veterans’ Centre in every hospital is a division that helps the soldiers who have returned to deal with any physical disabilities that may have occurred during their services overseas.
Veterans and Employment
Another of the strategies that the federal state has employed is the starting up departments of the workforce that veterans can be included in. The government aims at providing job placements and services like free tuition fees for veterans who are willing to pursue tertiary education. It also aims at providing training for specific jobs that fit the current market. It does all this with the aim of making sure that the people leaving the military are given the most comfortable send- off, and in the long run giving the ex- soldiers an opportunity to stand on their own in their native land (Congress Record, 2005, p. 134). Nevertheless, Ken, who runs one of these workforce departments, says vividly that of late, it has posed a challenge to maintain the ex- soldiers in the offices. Increased unemployment rates in the country and the influx of more and more people in the unemployment list has made it impossible to maintain an upward employment rate. Many more employees are trying to reduce the costs of employing more people, while others are retrenching people.
In the normal circumstances, only one out of a possible ten people is getting to secure a job with these departments. Nevertheless, there are individuals like Grant in such departments as these whoa are making somewhat what seems to be a difference. He is helping out the veterans to write proper resumes and trying to link them up with other available opportunities in the job market, or even other educational opportunities. Veterans who apply through theses agencies that Grant offers get a head start in securing opportunities in the market. Most of the veterans are securing more and more jobs in clinic centers for veterans, counseling centers and other similar places. Some of them even get to secure opportunities in these places as part of the team that does paperwork for these companies.
Veterans and the Franchising Business
There are some things that work to the advantage of the experience that the soldiers get even in their lives as civilians: Franchising is one of them. It has been noted that just above 20% of the veterans who have the skill of running businesses are getting into this line of the market every passing day. Franchisors are getting more and more interested in recruiting veterans as employees or as custodians of their business property. The skills, discipline and commitment that the soldiers acquire from the training camps and the war zones find a way to play to their advantage in this sector. There are principles that are also acquired by the veteran that are highly favoring him in the franchising business (Norman, 2006, p.38).
In addition, firms like VetFran, an organization formed to link up different franchisors are swarming with veterans. The link up of more and more franchisors gives a certain needed support system to these franchisors, and since most of them are in one way or the other related, due to military backgrounds, business ends up playing to their advantage. Financial incentives are part of the many important advantages that such systems offer to the veterans. More than 400 veterans are linked up to companies like VetFran, which runs certain programs that help these ex-military men to become better franchisees, giving training that is adequate to enable them handle these business in a better way. Such incentives as loans and discounts are linked with these associations.
Veterans and the Education Sector
Another aspect that the ex-military officer will have acquired from the military training and fighting ground is additional skill and knowledge to help him out in many different ways in the educational sector. It is important to note that even after world war two, there has been an issue about the level of education that the young veteran should be having. The level of discipline in the military has for a long time had an impact on the thinking pattern of many soldiers, especially in the line of education. Studies have shown that since World War 2, there has been as upsurge in the number of men over the next ten years (1945 to 1955) that had at least a year or so of college education. The 55% upsurge was analyzed, most of which ended up being because of students who had a touch of military background in their former lives.
With the introduction of the Veteran Education Act, many more veterans have been attracted towards the education sector and due to the educational benefits that are awarded to veterans; many have ended up being enrolled in college programs. Not only so, but these former military men have been known to sore high in the academic world than other citizens. The shear discipline that they acquire in military training makes them more focused and more resilient even in the tough times in campuses. It is easier for them to wake up early and stay up late working. Ex- soldiers find it easier to read for longer hours, an action synonymous to the long training hours and the long hours of service in the war zones. Not only so but the veterans are becoming top leaders in the school campuses that they are in. Again, due to the training that they have been previously subjected to, the ex- military have adopted leadership skills which are being used in very many colleges. Many have been known to run student organizations, fighting viciously for the rights of the students, without fear.
School administrations are beginning to embrace veterans all the more because of some of the benefits that come with the package. Sandra, an executive director in one of the universities that has openly incorporated some former military men explains that she would rather have had a student body in her school containing at least 50% of veterans. Administratively, the packages that these schools receive from the government is highly attractive and even if the most students who have been through military training never had performed well in high school, the military changes their way of thinking towards being more mature, focused and committed to life’s important issues. (Pope, 2007, para 12).
Minnesota has a national guard’s program that has over the years been working on getting troops to colleges through help initiatives that are given to them. Studies reveal that 23 campuses are being enabled to boost their veteran population on campus grounds to 4800 at the end of the campus year 2006 to 2007.
Conclusion
It is out of m that the country goes an extra mile to ensure that the veterans are treated with a little appreciation. Without them serving in the military, the country will have suffered a great deal within and without its grounds. It is good that the state has gone ahead to make some form of provision for the people who have been through the military and are now at home. Medical care, psychological adjustment, post military employment and advancement in education are the basic needs of a veteran after coming back home. If these are provided adequately, a few more smiles will appear on many military based families across America.
Reference List
Congress Record. (2005). Government. Congress Record. Washington D.C.: Government Printing Office.
Freshour, R. (2006). Returning Soldiers Bring Joy, Stress to Families. Spark Action.
Norman, J. (2006). Selling Franchises to Military Veterans. What no one ever tells you about franchising: real-life franchising advice? NY New York: Kaplan Publishing.
Pope, J. (2007).Veterans is standing tall on campuses. US: Lexis Nexis. Associated Press.
Verburg, S. (2010). For soldiers returning home, more challenges await. The Wisconsin State Journal.US: Lexis Nexis.
Acculturation: cultural change; the result of the culture of birth and new culture interacting (Kelly, 2016).
Phenomenology: theoretical framework/approach to inquiry; centers around the investigation of lived experiences (Robbins, Chatterjee, & Canda, 2011).
Transitioning: a process; moving from one status to another (Blackburn, 2016; Kelly, 2016).
Abbreviations: military-to-civilian transitioning (MCT); migrant transitioning (MT; from living in one’s country of birth to living in the new country)
Veteran Migrants (VMs): former service members who stay in the country they served, which is different from their country of origin (Chishti, Rose, & Yale-Loehr, 2019).
Discussing terms and abbreviations.
Significance: Attempts to Determine the Numbers of Latino VMs
For the chosen topic, discussing the problem is rather difficult because its scope is almost impossible to determine. Indeed, the number of VMs cannot be stated because it seems that there is no official information about them. The number of non-native-born American military members was estimated at around 3% of the Army in 2019 (“Total available active military manpower,” 2019). In 2016, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (n.d.) reported that in Hawaii, as well as the US, roughly 7% of the military members were Hispanic. It can be suggested that 3% of those could be Latino VMs, which would make the number 254 for Hawaii and slightly over 44,000 for the US.
However, this supposition requires multiple assumptions. For example, one has to assume that the 3% observation applies to all groups within the military, even though minority service members might be more likely to be non-native-born than white service members. Similarly, one has to assume that the 3% number also applies equally to all states, including Hawaii. Moreover, 3% is the number for non-native-born active members who were operating in 2019, but the veteran statistics refer to the veterans who may have been released years ago when this number did not apply. Finally, the data are only available for Hispanics, not Latinos. However, in the absence of more specific data, these estimations will have to be used. They show that the number of VMs, especially Latino VMs, is probably not very large when viewed from the perspective of the US population, but it is still likely to amount to thousands of people in the US and hundreds in individual states.
Significance and Scientific Premise
Veterans and migrants: vulnerable populations; difficult transitioning:
Problems acquiring housing, jobs, and healthcare (US Department of Veterans Affairs [DVA], 2018; Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE], 2018).
Acculturation (Blackburn, 2016; Kelly, 2016).
VM: double transition (MCT, MT) and interactions between MCT and MT:
Furthermore, the fact that veterans and migrants go through difficult transition processes is well-supported by research literature and government or supra-government reports. Both veterans and migrants are minority populations and have difficulties with acquiring good jobs and education, finding appropriate housing options, and receiving healthcare. Also, both these groups experience an acculturation process since the military has a culture (Blackburn, 2016; Kelly, 2016). There are more specific problems as well; for instance, native veterans generally do not have to learn a new language, but migrants often do. However, when VMs are concerned, the challenges that apply to both populations become relevant. They may even interact; for example, as a result of cultural and linguistic barriers, migrants are reported to have problems with integrating into a new community (Benton & Embiricos, 2019), but communal support is critical for veterans’ re-integration (Hachey et al., 2016). As a result, VMs may experience unique and more challenging situations than migrants or veterans. While researching VM experiences would help to understand the needs of veterans and migrants, their investigation is valuable on their own, especially for social workers who are involved in programs for VMs.
Scientific Premise: Current State of Knowledge (Research Gap)
Leal and Teigen (2018): voting among veterans, including Latino.
Horyniak, Bojorquez, Armenta, and Davidson (2017): VM deportation and its effect on their health; not focused on Latinos.
Atuel, Hollander, and Castro (2018): minority service members and their reasons for joining the military. Not veterans, but Latinos included.
Wong (2017): migrants and nervous attacks. Pros: focuses on Latinos and the impact of cultural factors on one’s health. Cons: barely mentions the military (but recognizes it as a factor); not peer-reviewed.
There are studies about veterans and migrants (both qualitative and quantitative), but the literature on VMs, especially Latinos, is nonexistent. During this project, one article that considered Latino veterans’ voting habits was found (Leal & Teigen, 2018), and another one reflected the deportation of VMs, even though it did not focus on Latinos (Horyniak et al., 2017). Also, an article about the reasons for various minorities, including Latinos, to join the military was encountered (Atuel et al., 2018). There may be non-peer-reviewed sources as well; for example, Wong (2017) wrote a dissertation about the impact of culture on one’s health, and it is focused on Latino migrants. However, it barely mentioned military service, even though it is acknowledged as a factor in mental health. Overall, however, there are no studies that would consider VMs and their transitions, which means that more research is necessary.
Research Question
What are the lived experiences of first-generation Latino service members who decided to remain in the US after transitioning?
To cover the gap, the presented research question is proposed. It demonstrates the future project’s focus, key terms, and the general approach to investigation, which is clearly qualitative.
Paradigm, Approach, and Theory
Interpretivism;
Phenomenology;
Military Transition Model and Multidimensional Model of Bicultural Identity;
Also: OSCE (2018) and DVA (2018).
Indeed, the proposed project will consider experiences, which means that it can benefit from taking the form of a phenomenological study. In line with that, an interpretivist paradigm was chosen due to its interest in subjectivity, experiences, and their role in research; the paradigm of interpretivism and the approach of phenomenology support each other (Mayan, 2009). As for the specific model used to guide the project, it incorporates the ideas of the Military Transition Model (MTM) by Blackburn (2016) and those of the multidimensional model of bicultural identity (MMBI), which is described by Robbins et al. (2011). The two models were augmented with the help of the transition and integration criteria put forward by OSCE (2018) for migrants and DVA (2018) for veterans.
The final model is presented here. It uses MMBI’s multiple dimensions (especially time), MTM’s focus on the factors that affect people before, during, and after release from service, and the specific integration factors from the reports by DVA (2018) and OSCE (2018), including internal, economic, and sociopolitical ones.
Methods: Sample, Measures, Analysis
Data collection: semi-structured interviews; audio-recorded and individual. Quantitative demographics.
Self-developed model-based tool (will be tested): barriers, facilitators, other factors, transition features, acculturation, outcomes, satisfaction.
As it was mentioned, veterans and migrants are often researched qualitatively, and it is the only approach suitable for a project which intends to investigate experiences. Interviews are a good idea due to their ability to provide insights into human experiences (Gray, Grove, & Sutherland, 2016). The interview tool for this project is self-developed, and it consists of the questions about the different factors identified by the model. For example, it inquires about barriers, facilitators, changes over time, and acculturation. The interviews will be face-to-face, semi-structured, and audio-recorded; the time and location will be up to the participants. The quantitative data will be gathered to describe the participants; it will include factors like age, time spent in the military and the US, and English proficiency.
Purposive sampling will allow recruiting up to 10 Latino VMs from the military centers of Hawaii. Additionally, snowballing will be used to involve veterans who do not visit centers. The sample will be stratified to include the people who are satisfied with their transitioning and those who are not. Inclusion criteria consist of the participants being Latino VMs; people who are susceptible to coercion (in particular, those with diminished mental capacity) will be excluded.
A percentage-based summary of demographics will be offered, and an inductive thematic analysis will be applied to the transcripts of the interviews. The advice by Tolley et al. (2016) will guide the process, and NVivo will make it easier.
Methods: Timeline
The project will not take too long, and it will be self-funded with barely any costs other than participant compensation gift cards ($50 each). The project will undergo the stages of proposal, research, and findings reporting. The research step will consist of overlapping activities: recruitment will be going on together with interviews and analysis to ensure data saturation.
Methods: Rigor
From the perspective of rigor, all the four rigor elements have been considered. First, this proposal shows that the methodology is coherent, and the intent to achieve data saturation is an element of the sampling strategy. Second, I am not the only person who will be involved in analysis; my team will consist of two more researchers, and the participants will be engaged in reviewing findings. Finally, I will keep a journal to reflect my biases, and I will disclose all of them, as well as the project’s limitations, while reporting the results.
Limitations and Positionality
Bias/Subjectivity:
Risk factors: researcher positionality as a VM (from the Dominican Republic; 12 years of service in the US); human nature.
Protections: testing (also helps with sensitivity).
Indeed, it is reasonable to consider limitations, including positionality. Positionality is one of the bias risks in this study since I am a Latino VM myself. However, since bias is common for research, the presented rigor precautions (especially teams, participant engagement, and reflective journal) are a reasonable solution to the issue. Furthermore, since the sample is rather small and can be subject to recruitment bias because VMs with especially bad experiences might not be willing to participate, it is a good idea to avoid generalizing the results. Finally, since the data collection tool will be made for the project, it will not be well-established, but it is planned to test it with a couple of migrants or veterans to make sure that it can gather the required information and that it is not insensitive.
Human Subjects and Ethics
Risks: discomfort (mitigated: example questions; referral).
Ethics-ensuring mechanisms:
Voluntary participation (plain flyers, no coercion).
Informed consent (information about study, rights, protections). Example sentences below.
Confidentiality (no identifying data, safeguards for protection).
In connection to sensitivity issues, it should be noted that distress is the primary risk of the project. The University of Hawaii guidelines will be used to ensure the project’s ethics. To mitigate the risks, the participants will be offered a counseling referral if they exhibit stress. However, the project will mostly focus on preventative measures. First, it will be important to make participation voluntary, which will be achieved with plain flyers and informed consent. Indeed, informed consent is the second requirement; it will provide all the details about the project (see the screenshot), including example interview questions, which will minimize distress risks for the participants. In addition, the participants’ data will be protected with the help of locked drawers and computer passwords; access to them will be restricted. This way, the participants will be safe, and the IRB of the University is likely to approve the project.
Expected Findings and Dissemination
Findings:
MCT/MT posing challenges and interacting (DVA, 2018 ; OSCE, 2018).
Facilitators: culture, skills, social networks (Blackburn, 2016; Hachey et al., 2016; OSCE, 2018).
More research needed.
Dissemination Plan:
Important for social work.
Participants.
Journals (e.g., Journal of Veterans Studies).
Based on the existing literature, it is anticipated that the findings will involve some information about factors that affect Latino VMs, as well as VMs, veterans, and migrants in general. This information will help to develop and deliver social services to the named populations, although with a small sample of 10 people, I do not hope that I will research the topic exhaustively; more research will be needed. Given the width of the research gap, it is also reasonable to disseminate the findings; I plan to use specialized journals for that purpose.
References
Atuel, H. R., Hollander, A., & Castro, C. A. (2018). Racial and ethnic minority service members. In E. Weiss & C. Castro (Eds.), American military life in the 21st century (Vol. 1, pp. 41-53). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO.
Blackburn, D. (2016). Transitioning from military to civilian life: Examining the final step in a military career. Canadian Military Journal, 16(4), 53-61.
Gray, J. R., Grove, S. K., & Sutherland, S. (2016). Burns and Grove’s The practice of nursing research-e-book: Appraisal, synthesis, and generation of evidence (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Health Sciences.
Gunawan, J. (2015). Ensuring trustworthiness in qualitative research. Belitung Nursing Journal, 1(1), 10-11. Web.
Hachey, K. K., Sudom, K., Sweet, J., MacLean, M. B., & VanTil, L. D. (2016). Transitioning from military to civilian life: The role of mastery and social support. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 2(1), 9-18.
Horyniak, D., Bojorquez, I., Armenta, R., & Davidson, P. (2017). Deportation of non-citizen military veterans: A critical analysis of implications for the right to health. Global Public Health, 13(10), 1369-1381. Web.
Kelly, D. R. (2016). Applying acculturation theory and power elite theory on a social problem: Political underrepresentation of the Hispanic population in Texas. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 38(2), 155-165.
Leal, D. L., & Teigen, J. M. (2018). Military service and political participation in the United States: Institutional experience and the vote. Electoral Studies, 53, 99-110.
Hachey, K. K., Sudom, K., Sweet, J., MacLean, M. B., & VanTil, L. D. (2016). Transitioning from military to civilian life: The role of mastery and social support. Journal of Military, Veteran and Family Health, 2(1), 9-18.
Horyniak, D., Bojorquez, I., Armenta, R., & Davidson, P. (2017). Deportation of non-citizen military veterans: A critical analysis of implications for the right to health. Global Public Health, 13(10), 1369-1381. Web.
Kelly, D. R. (2016). Applying acculturation theory and power elite theory on a social problem: Political underrepresentation of the Hispanic population in Texas. Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 38(2), 155-165.
Leal, D. L., & Teigen, J. M. (2018). Military service and political participation in the United States: Institutional experience and the vote. Electoral Studies, 53, 99-110.
Total available active military manpower by country. (2019). Web.
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (2018). The military to civilian transition 2018. Web.
US Department of Veterans Affairs. (n.d.). Veteran population. Web.
Wong, M. J. (2017). Culture-bound syndromes: Racial/ethnic differences in the experience and expression of ataques de nervios. Web.
Veterans are a significant part of the population that needs various kinds of support from the community. For many people, the transition from army to civilian life is fraught with many difficulties associated with their past. The list of possible problems includes both actual health issues that impose restrictions on ordinary life and the need for social support. Studies show that although most former military personnel are reintegrated into society without any problems, there is a significant minority that needs additional job search programs (Perkins et al., 2020). One such program at the moment is the Veterans Readiness and Employment Program (VR&E). This evaluation plan aims to describe, analyze, and evaluate this initiative to achieve the planned and stated results.
The name of this program has changed several times over the years, reflecting various aspects that are being emphasized with veterans’ assistance. Although this initiative is also known as the Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Program, the current variation of the name more accurately reflects the nature of the actions being taken and the primary purpose of helping to prepare, find, and retain a job (Absher, 2021). The complete list of services provided under this program is moderately broader. Nevertheless, the design of this program can be formulated as a set of measures aimed at improving the quality of life of veterans through assistance in getting a job. In this context, various activities are considered that can help a person, depending on their needs. The need to apply specific measures is usually decided by the results of an appointment with a consultant, except for cases of severe injuries during active-duty service (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2021). This allows for a more personal approach to the veteran, taking into account his needs.
The list of goals and services provided within the framework of this initiative is quite broad. Primarily, VR&E consultants conduct a detailed assessment of the veteran’s current condition, which may also include a physical examination (Absher, 2021). Within the framework of such consultations, a person’s abilities are also determined, as well as their capabilities, needs and wishes. These components are fundamental for the subsequent formation of a rehabilitation plan. Depending on the situation, it may include general means of assistance: training in job search and resume writing skills, connecting specialized communication programs with employers. VR&E also provides training and mentoring services to help veterans acquire the necessary skills to develop further in more critical situations. In any of the described cases, the purpose of the personalized plan is to set a specific task and formulate ways to achieve it. One of the so-called Five tracks of services is selected as a goal: reemployment, independent job search, job search in the context of short- and long-term services, and independent living services (Absher, 2021). All measures to be implemented in the future are aimed at the implementation of the selected purpose.
One of the essential details about VR&E is the context in which these services are delivered and who can be part of the initiative since not all veterans can apply for such assistance. First of all, those wishing to become part of this initiative and receive appropriate support must undergo an assessment, which can be carried out under the coincidence of certain conditions. A veteran must be dismissed from service in a way other than dishonest and must have a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent based on a particular rating (Absher, 2021). In some cases, they can bypass the last requirement and not wait for the rating results by filling out the form on the official website if there are additional circumstances. In any case, services are provided only to veterans with disabilities related to service or employment as a result of requiring additional aid in rehabilitation after the army. However, if, according to the results of the assessments, a person does not fit the VR&E criteria, this initiative’s specialists help the person find alternative resources that are suitable for them.
Logic Model of the Program
Inputs
VR&E is a government program, and this allows its specialists to have reasonably extensive and reliable funding. Due to state connections, requests for necessary funds and resources are made within the Department of Veterans Affairs appropriations (Collins, 2021). The supplies requested by the program are divided into two parts: mandatory and discretionary. Among the first, expenses directly related to the services provided are taken into account: the cost of teaching aids, funds for direct assistance to the veteran in the form of daily payments, and tuition fees. Discretionary resources include payments to program staff, training costs, and all associated organizational costs.
Outputs
As the main activities of VR&E, it is necessary to highlight the assessment of veterans following the eligibility criteria, the analysis of the needs and capabilities of the individual, as well as the preparation of a personal plan. Thus, the first step is to develop a list of individual services, which will be implemented in practice. Considering the situation’s peculiarities, one of the Five Tracks approaches is chosen that is most suitable for a person (Absher, 2021). Within the framework of the developed plan, various types of training, consultations and rehabilitation complexes are implemented. These outputs aim to improve the lives of veterans, who are the only possible participants in this program.
Outcomes
Within the framework of short-term outcomes, it is possible to distinguish the receipt of initial consultations, which helps determine the veteran’s status and situation. At this point, there is either drawing up a rehabilitation plan for further work or redirecting a person to another, more suitable program. Thus, the veteran gains knowledge and information about their opportunities. Intermediate outcomes involve working according to a plan, obtaining the necessary job search skills, building relationships with an employer, or undergoing special training. At this stage, actual efforts are taken to improve the veteran’s life by providing income and opportunities for self-realization. Finally, long-term outcomes mean complete rehabilitation of a person, which includes receiving the necessary medical care, consultations, support, and getting a stable job. As a result of passing VR&E, the veteran must be fully reintegrated into society and able to live comfortably, providing for themselves and their loved ones.
Assumptions
The success of this program lies in several substantial advantages over other initiatives. First, VR&E is a state program that automatically puts it above others in scale. While various non-profit organizations are forced to look for sponsors to implement their initiatives, VR&E has government resources. In addition, such a scale and a centralized approach ensure high qualifications of personnel and their even distribution across regions. While private organizations can often only function in a specific area, VR&E extends to all regions, reaching more people.
External Factors
Among the factors supporting the development of this initiative, one can single out many veterans of the armed forces in need of support. Since candidates for this program can be people who graduated from service 12 years ago, a reasonably large base of people who need help is formulated. In addition, veterans who defended their homeland are more likely to trust government programs than outside organizations. Finally, the current situation with the spread of COVID-19 makes the work of private entities more complex, while the state has the resources to keep the initiative running.
Situation
The most important factor shaping the current situation is the COVID-19 pandemic, which makes the work of almost all services significantly more difficult. The existing epidemiological situation affects the social and economic sphere, in connection with prices rising and the number of unemployed people increasing. In this context, there are many more people in need of VR&E, and it becomes more challenging to assist them due to possible problems with funding and reallocation of resources. In addition, the imposed rules regarding social distancing and teleworking prevent the provision of necessary services to veterans. There have been adopted changes to VR&E to combat pandemic restrictions, mainly related to increasing assistance to veterans whose plans cannot be adequately implemented in the existing conditions (Collins, 2021). However, these measures are temporary and do not solve the entire spectrum of problems.
Priorities
The program’s main priority is the fight against unemployment among veterans and their rehabilitation and reintegration into society through consultations and various assistance measures. These two points form the basis of the VR&E mission, which can be seen in all the actions taken. This initiative was created to eliminate the existing service-connected disabilities or at least allow people with these problems to become capable members of society. Since the situations of different veterans are radically different, among the main priorities and values of VR&E, an individual approach to each person through an analysis of needs and opportunities can be distinguished. For this, a vast network of state resources, both material and social, human, is involved.
Evaluation Questions of Interest
Despite the many points that can be assessed within the framework of this program, when composing the questions, the focus was made on the study of the very process of VR&E functioning. Such an analysis of the program allows one to understand how it is structured and functioning at the moment and identify opportunities for growth and further development. When choosing and composing questions, the criteria of utilization-focused research were taken into account (Patton, 2012). This not only allows for clarity in the wording but also for more reliable and reliable results. Evaluation questions are presented below and grouped according to purpose.
Questions regarding the current implementation of the program:
Are there enough activities with the target audience?
Are the main objectives of the program being achieved during the implementation of the program? If not, why not?
What qualifications do program staff needs to work effectively? Do staff have sufficient education and training to interact with the target audience and achieve their goals?
How do participants in the program interact with and respond to it? What factors are noted as valuable and essential, and what are causing adverse reactions?
Questions regarding opportunities for further development:
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the program?
Have there been any activities in recent years to improve the services provided? Are there any similar events planned?
Is there a need to improve any individual VR&E components in the opinion of the program staff? In the opinion of the participants and the target audience?
Is there actual room for further improvement of the program at this time? How do staff and participants think they can be created?
Description of Intended Users
The primary intended users of this study include several categories at different levels of this program. The most relevant stakeholders are those interested in the assessment results and its results: participants, performers, and decision-makers (“Identifying and determining involvement,” n.d.). Accordingly, three categories are distinguished as intended users. Firstly, the research results will be helpful to the target audience, veterans who either have not yet taken part in the program or are in the process of interacting with it. Their interest, in this case, is dictated by the possibility of obtaining a detailed compilation of information regarding the structure of the program and its weaknesses. It will allow them to be more prepared for personal interaction with VR&E.
In addition, by being aware of potential shortcomings, veterans can take the initiative to correct them and improve the overall program by expressing their opinions and grievances as consumers. The informing of this group will occur during personal communication since the veterans are one of the groups planned to be interviewed during the collection of information. After the interviews, communication with the interviewed individuals will be maintained, reducing distrust of evaluation and obtaining more reliable results (“Identifying and determining involvement,” n.d.). This will also allow veterans to receive new knowledge and feedback about the evaluation process and results.
The second group of intended users is program staff members who interact directly with the initiative’s target audience. Their interest in evaluation and its results lies in the fact that they are the most active stakeholders in the program, people with whom veterans often contact. These specialists have to solve most of the problematic issues related to the history of the program participants and the structure of the initiative. Therefore, knowledge of weaknesses and strengths will allow them to improve their day-to-day performance and provide an opportunity to contribute to potential program improvement from a lower level. Since, as in the case of veterans, these specialists are one of the groups that must be interviewed to collect data, they will be contacted privately. This will allow them to timely inform them about all new finds, maintain interest in the assessment, and promptly receive feedback.
Finally, the third intended user group is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, which is directly leading this initiative. The conducted research may be of the most significant interest specifically for them since it will reflect the actual state of affairs at the level of implementation. Such information will help to demonstrate whether the program is effective enough in practice. In addition, these stakeholders have fundamental tools to make changes to this program in accordance with the information received. The role of the Department of Veterans Affairs in evaluation will be to disseminate the results. This group will be briefed during the assessment process to establish a contact in advance and after the study is completed to communicate the evaluation results to this organization.
Description of the Data and Methods to be Used
Several methods will be used at once to obtain the information necessary for analysis and evaluation. First, an document analysis will be conducted to study the available printed official sources. This approach has several unique advantages: there is no need to disturb employees and program participants; it is possible to analyze historical data when using it. In addition, the cost of conducting such an analysis is meager, which facilitates the evaluation process as a whole. The documentary analysis will be limited to the period from the beginning of 2019 to the end of 2021. Such a limitation will allow obtaining quantitative information from reports in combination with qualitative information in the form of textual narratives regarding the program’s work a year before its name change and a year after. According to official sources, the title replacement was not related to changes in the services provided, and such an assessment will confirm or deny this statement (Collins, 2021). Additionally, the actual data obtained can be correlated with information obtained using other methods.
Since the documentary information reflects only the official state of affairs and may be incomplete, there is a need to use additional funds. Therefore, to obtain more practical information, surveys based on evaluation questions will be used. Their main advantage is efficiently disseminating questions and quickly collecting relevant information in a volume that depends only on the number of people interviewed. With the help of this method, it is expected to obtain primarily qualitative information about people’s attitudes towards the program. The questionnaires will be distributed evenly by mail between veterans and VR&E specialists to avoid bias or prejudice. Thus, information should be obtained regarding the interaction of the target audience with the program and the initiative’s work from within. As a time interval, as in the previous case, it is supposed to use the years 2019-2021. This will allow comparing the perspectives of people who have interacted with the program at different stages and situations.
However, this method also has several disadvantages, primarily in the possibility of bias and the lack of sufficiently high-quality answers. Therefore, in addition to the widespread anonymous distribution of polls, it is proposed to use a combined method. Studies show that combining different methods allows for clearer triangulation and more detailed evaluation (Taylor-Powell & Steele, 1996). Therefore, the survey method in this context will also be partially combined with the interview method, which will make it possible to convey the critical questions in a more targeted and focused manner. In addition, such a study will provide a more personal perspective on the program from both sides: veterans and staff members. The resulting qualitative information will represent personal views and opinions on the existing features of VR&E and possible prospects for the program. The period of the surveys is the same as that used in other methods to ensure the correlation of the results. In this context, this means that people who have interacted with VR&E in both 2019 and 2021 will be interviewed.
Finally, all information received will be compiled and combined to draw parallels between documentary information, anonymous survey responses, and information obtained through personal interviews. Compliance with ethical standards and principles of confidentiality and personal information will be observed when receiving information. Despite the fact that interviews, unlike surveys, will be conducted with specific people, their identities will remain classified in order to avoid possible leaks of personal data.
Taylor-Powell, E., & Steele, S. (1996). Collecting evaluation data: An overview of sources and methods. University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension Service. Web.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. (2021). How to apply for Veteran Readiness and Employment. Web.
Implementation of public programs should be followed by evaluation strategies to assess the effectiveness and transparency in addressing social needs. Therefore, various evaluation approaches are followed to examine whether the proposed solutions benefited the targeted population. A successful assessment involves the systematic, purposeful collection and analysis of data documenting the efficiency or shortcomings of interventions. This means that rigorous evaluative processes allow the policymakers and shareholders to determine whether a program should be maintained, altered, or eliminated based on the findings. This paper is a program evaluation strategy focusing on service connection using the available literature on the success or failure of the intervention in addressing Veterans Affairs in the Hudson Valley and across the United States.
The program evaluation process is often adaptive and examines multiple features to gauge the success or failure of an intervention. In this case, a summative strategy, which refers to the observed impact of the project on change in selected indicators, explores the results of a program or policy (Kaczmarek & Romaniuk, 2020). It provides the decision-makers with information that links activities with achievements, enabling them to infer the effectiveness of the implemented solutions. Therefore, it means that a summative assessment normally occurs at the end of a project or when the intervention has been in implementation for a while and has gained stability. The goal of the service connection evaluation is to measure the program’s effectiveness in addressing veterans’ healthcare struggles by finding out problems in the process and possible solutions.
Program Background
The cumulative exposure to violent situations can significantly affect someone’s mental wellbeing. The United States military recognizes that war has considerable impacts on its members’ physiological and psychological health, which led to the creation of a service connection program. According to Landes et al. (2021), veterans with service-connected disabilities are evaluated by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be disabled by an injury or illness that occurred or was aggravated during active military service. This intervention is only intended to benefit people exposed to conditions that left them mentally or physically impaired while in service. Therefore, an accident that occurred while in the military, even if not during deployment, is considered a condition that qualifies as service-connected disability.
The government has been providing benefits to the veterans in varying degrees since the colonial settlements of America. Panangala et al. (2014) observed that in 1718, Rhode Island created legislation that offered benefits to every soldier, officer, or sailor who served in the armed services and the family members or dependents of those who perished during the war. Such legislation has undergone many changes over the years. In 1776, Continental Congress argued that disabled veterans should receive half of their monthly payment for as long as their disabilities exist (Panangala et al., 2014). The advancement in research and medicine indicated that resulting disability from military service is not readily apparent. Therefore, from the 1920s through to 2008, Congress examined conditions that might qualify as veterans disability or illnesses caused or aggravated by being in military service, culminating in a comprehensive report that helps in the decision-making process (Barnes et al., 2007; Bodurow & Samet, 2008; Panangala et al., 2014). The conditions made it easier for deserving veterans to receive necessary compensation and help in their time of need.
The program is essential because it provides long-term care benefits to veterans. As Redd et al. (2020) described, physical and mental injuries, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are major comorbidity for veterans. As a result, focusing on care plans that offer solutions to the illnesses that occurred or exacerbated while serving in the military reduces the burden on the veterans and their families. Spinola et al. (2021) indicated that medical or psychological evaluations are performed to determine the eligibility for service-connected disability benefits. Therefore, this evaluation process incorporates medical records detailing a veterans’ history before and after discharge, including collateral reports and neuropsychological exams. The evaluations are integral to the program because it determines the monthly stipend and other benefits such as qualifications for Veterans Healthcare Administration service, survivor benefits, and preferential hiring for federal jobs (Spinola et al., 2021). Evaluating the veterans’ eligibility is lengthy and must fulfil certain conditions.
Program Evaluation, Recommendations, and Desired Impacts
The eligibility for service connection disability compensation involves that the injury or disability be service-connected. Secondly, an individual must have been discharged under oath as any dishonorable conditions disqualify a veteran from this program. Veterans with mental health conditions, such as PTSD can apply for the benefits. The application process is as follows: first, the veteran calls Veteran Benefits Advisor, where they discuss the reason for initiating the compensation request. The veteran must book an in-person appointment where they initiate the process to file the claim and provide the necessary documentation. The Benefits Advisor submits and adjudicates the claim. The VA reviews the claim alongside supporting medical evidence and notifies the claimant in writing. The claimant can appeal the decision within a specified period (“File a claim,” 2022).
This benefits application procedure has several challenges that should be addressed. As of February 2022, the process takes the VA an average of 162.4 days to decide (“How to file,” 2022). The waiting length is problematic for many veterans in serious need of compensation and health benefits for survival. Secondly, if the decision is denied, the veteran files an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeal within 120 days (“The VA appeal,” 2021). The court process means that the veteran undergoes the same process and must be ready to cater to legal expenses. Thirdly, Rosen (2011) indicates that veterans have to recount their painful and traumatic experiences while trying to prove they deserve compensation. The medical examinations, psychiatric interviews, examiner’s reports, and the back-and-forth means that the applicants can wait for about two years for the VA’s rating decision (“How long does,” 2021). The key challenges with the process are the length of time taken between filing a claim and the VA decision, documentation and medical tests, and the appeal procedure.
Several changes could help improve the service-connected application and award process. The first recommendation is that VA should liaise with local veteran health administration (VHA) facilities to speed up filling out claim forms. Most of the time is spent by VA reviewing the files; however, veteran’s conditions may worsen during this waiting period (Rosen, 2011). Therefore, VA should rely on recommendations or compensation ratings made by psychiatrists and medical examiners. Local offices are better suited to carry out the medical reviews to assert that a veteran deserves compensation because they meet in person than the VA officers who make the decision, having never met the claimant. This approach of empowering local VHAs can speed up the claim procedure. The veterans are not supposed to recount the painful/traumatic experiences to VHAs. Instead, the VA can ask for evidence from medical experts responsible for treating veterans with PTSD. The compensation examiner should refer the veterans to qualified therapists after the examination. The appeal process should review any new information before directing the veterans to the courts, which might discourage those in need from applying for service-connected compensation. Additionally, the time limit to appeal within 120 days should be eliminated, enabling the veterans to seek disability benefits as medical problems appear.
Conclusion
The recommended changes could lead to acceptable results described as follows. First, the veterans could receive the VA decisions within 90 days because the local VHAs could handle the bulk of the work. Veterans’ mental health could improve based on collaboration between compensation examiners and therapists. The reviewed appeal process can allow veterans to present new evidence that might prove their conditions are service-connected. In fact, this process can allow veterans who develop service-connected disabilities many years after discharge to receive compensation benefits. This process alongside proposed changes is illustrated in figure 1.
Figure 1: Service-connected logic evaluation model
Reference
Barnes, D. K., McCutchen, S. R., Ford, M. A., & McGeary, M. (Eds.). (2007). A 21st century system for evaluating veterans for disability benefits. National Academies Press.
Bodurow, C. C., & Samet, J. M. (Eds.). (2008). Improving the presumptive disability decision-making process for veterans. National Academies Press.
Kaczmarek, K., & Romaniuk, P. (2020). The use of evaluation methods for the overall assessment of health policy: Potential and limitations. Cost Effectiveness and Resource Allocation, 18(1), 1-12.
Landes, S. D., London, A. S., & Wilmoth, J. M. (2021). Service-connected disability and the veteran mortality disadvantage. Armed Forces & Society, 47(3), 457-479.
Panangala, S. V., Shedd, D. T., Moulta-Ali, U. (2014). Veterans Affairs: Presumptive service connection and disability compensation. Congressional Research Service. DIANE Publishing.
Redd, A. M., Gundlapalli, A. V., Suo, Y., Pettey, W. B., Brignone, E., Chin, D. L., Walker, L. E., Poltavskiy, E. A., Janak, J. C., Howard, J. T., Sosnov, J. A., & Stewart, I. J. (2020). Exploring disparities in awarding VA service-connected disability for post-traumatic stress disorder for active duty military service members from recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Military Medicine, 185(Supplement_1), 296-302.
Rosen, M. I. (2011). Compensation examinations for PTSD—an opportunity for treatment? Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 47(5).
Spinola, S., Fenton, B. T., Meshberg-Cohen, S., Black, A. C., & Rosen, M. I. (2021). Comparison of attitudes towards the service connection claims process among veterans filing for PTSD and veterans filing for musculoskeletal disorders. Medicine, 100(35).
The number of veteran students I growing fast. Since 2020, the number of veteran students in the US has nearly doubled (McGuffin, 2017). Thus, policy-makers and scholars are becoming increasingly interested in the problems veterans face during their studies in higher education institutions. It is commonly known that opioid misuse is prevalent among veterans, as up to 35% of veterans received pain treatment with opioids at some point.
Prolonged treatment with opioids is associated with an increased risk of developing addictions, which can cause significant cognitive and social problems. However, there are no studies that discuss how opioid misuse affects the academic achievement of veteran students. The proposed research aims at closing the gap in the existing literature by studying the influence of opioid misuse on the academic achievement of veteran students.
Literature Review
Factors Affecting Academic Achievements of Veteran Students
The academic achievement of veteran students has been a matter of interest for researchers for more than half a century. After World War II, early researchers viewed veterans as superior to civilians in terms of academic achievement (Gowan, 1947; Owens & Owens, 1949). However, the researchers realized that there were different factors contributing to the academic achievement of veteran students. Gowan (1947) stated that there were at least seven factors that affect academic achievement, including social group participation, presence of educational goals, attitude towards grades, time spent in study, attitude toward courses and instructions, attitude towards individual attention and instruction, and attitude towards class attendance.
Owens and Owens (1949) also believed that age, aptitude score test results, and the number of years in service were also indicative of academic achievement. However, the results of Pearson’s correlation tests revealed that the number of years in service had a small negative impact on grade point average (Owens & Owens, 1949).
Currently, veteran students are a distinct population with their unique characteristics. A systematic review conducted by Barry et al. (2014) concluded that veteran students are different in comparison with their civilian counterparts. Veteran students have a lower GPA, an increased chance of engaging in risky behavior, lower social support, and different drinking motivations (Barry et al., 2014). Additionally, veterans usually have lower confidence levels and adaptation to academic life (Barry et al., 2014). These unique characteristics of the population often put veterans at a disadvantage while receiving higher education.
Low GPAs of veteran students can be explained by a wide variety of reasons that partially contribute to the matter. Psychological well-being is one of the factors that can contribute to the decreased academic performance of veteran students. In particular, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression often lead to reduced ability and motivation to perform the tasks needed to achieve high grades (Bryan et al., 2014; Clark & Walker, 2020).
However, the effect of PTSD and depression are moderated by the demographic characteristics of veteran students. Elliott et al. (2011) suggested that combat experience and associated PTSD can cause alienation of veteran students. Quantitative analysis revealed that alienation could cause decreased academic achievement in veteran students (Elliot et al., 2011). Eakman et al. (2019) also mentioned the importance of academic self-efficacy. In short, there is a wide variety of internal factors that can influence the academic achievement of students.
At the same time, there are many environmental factors that may contribute to the decreased academic achievement of veteran students. The majority of the environmental factors were discussed by Semer and Harmening (2015). The researchers mentioned that environmental factors included receiving oral feedback from faculty members, engagement in some types of co-curricular activities, physical exercise, attending events on campus, and time spent committing to class (Semer & Harmening, 2015). Additionally, Clark and Walker (2020) mention the importance of seating on the academic performance of students. Eakman et al. (2019) emphasize the importance of support from the instructors. In summary, factors that affect the academic achievement of students is a widely discussed matter among scholars both historically and recently.
Opioid Misuse among Veterans
The problem of opioid misuse among veterans is a subject of heated discussion in current scholarly literature. According to Hudson et al. (2017), between 23% and 35% of veterans received pain treatment using opioids. There are various dangers associated with the prolonged use of opioids for pain treatment. In particular, opioid misuse can cause dependency, which is associated with significant problems in social and academic life, such as financial problems and alienation (Wilder et al., 2015). Any type of opioid administration is associated with a considerable risk of death from overdose. The central reason for overdose is decreased awareness about the contributing risk factors (Wilder et al., 2015). However, the problem of overdose is mostly discussed in terms of the general veteran population, and there is not enough information about the risk of opioid overdose among veteran students.
Another problem associated with opioid misuse is the danger of heroin initiation. Veterans and other patients treated for pain initiate heroin due to its increased availability from illegal sources (Banerjee et al., 2016). Heroin addiction is associated with an increased risk of death from different matters, including unknown purity, injection-associated infection, overdose, and vascular diseases (Banerjee et al., 2016). Additionally, heroin addiction can cause severe mental health conditions that further aggravate illicit drug abuse (Banerjee et al., 2016). Thus, opioid administration for pain treatment can cause severe complications that need to be prevented.
Prolonged opioid misuse can be associated with cognitive and socio-cognitive functioning problems. A study by Kroll et al. (2018) confirmed that opioid misuse negatively affects cognitive domains of attention, declarative memory, and global cognitive empathy. These effects were found to be dose-dependent (Kroll et al., 2018). Such cognitive changes may negatively affect the academic achievement of students.
While opioid misuse among veterans is widely discussed by various researchers, there is a lack of studies discussing the effect of opioids on the academic achievement of veteran students. In particular, it is unclear if a history of pain treatment with opioids can lead to the decreased academic performance of veteran students. At the same time, severe pain in veteran students is a common condition acknowledged by current research. According to Boccieri et al. (2019), 22.2% of veteran students have severe pain, which implies that they are 4.3 times more likely to the condition in comparison with the general student population. Moreover, approximately 25% of veteran students reported that their ability to perform daily tasks was limited by pain (Boccieri et al., 2019). Thus, severe pain is a significant bother among veteran students.
Theoretical Frameworks
There are several theories that explain the academic achievement of students that can be used to answer the research question in the present paper. First, self-determination theory can give significant insights into the matter. This theory focuses on how external factors affect a sense of volition and initiative to perform certain tasks. A recent study confirmed that the theory could predict the academic achievements of students and their dropout intentions (Jeno et al., 2018).
Another theory that can be used is the neurocognitive theory of intelligence proposed by Das, Naglieri, and Kirby (Georgiou et al., 2020). The theory is called the PASS intelligence theory, which stands for planning, attention, simultaneous, and successive processing (Georgiou et al., 2020). The theory was found to successfully explain the ability to gain knowledge and improve academic achievement (Georgiou et al., 2020). These two theories will be synthesized to answer the research question proposed in the present paper.
Synthesis and Analysis
Veteran students are a distinct population, as they have common characteristics distinguishing them from their civilian counterparts. Historically, veterans were believed to have higher academic achievements due to increased experience and maturity levels. However, recent research demonstrates that veteran students are disadvantaged due to a wide variety of internal and external factors that affect the academic achievement of veteran students. These factors include increased chances of depression, PTSD, pain, alienation, exposure to combat, and low self-efficacy. At the same time, there are some factors that can positively influence the academic achievement of veteran students, including participation in some co-curricular activities, oral feedback from instructors, general support of the instructors, and setting preferences.
The review of the literature revealed that factors affecting the academic achievement of veteran students are a topic widely discussed both currently and historically. At the same time, the problem of opioid misuse among veterans is a relatively recent subject that emerged during the past two decades. The problem of the opioid epidemic among veterans is crucial, as many veterans are treated for pain using opioids. Such treatment may cause addiction, overdose, heroin initiation, cognitive impairment, and the development of mental conditions.
The literature review revealed two considerable gaps in the current body of knowledge. On the one hand, there are no reliable studies that provide the proportion of veteran students that have a history of opioid treatment. Thus, it is difficult to estimate how dangerous the opioid epidemic is for veteran students. On the other hand, it is unclear if having a history of opioid misuse is a significant predictor of academic achievement of veteran students. In other words, the current body of knowledge cannot answer the question if current or past use of opioids for any purpose can influence the academic performance of veteran students. The analysis of literature can explain these phenomena by the fact that the problem of opioid misuse among veterans is only an emerging topic, which implies that many areas of uncertainty remain.
The analysis of literature can help to make hypotheses concerning two identified gaps. First, considering the fact that prolonged opioid misuse is associated with significant co-morbidities, including social and financial problems, the prevalence of opioid misuse among veteran students should be lower than that of the general veteran population. Thus, it can also be supposed that fewer veteran students have a history of opioid misuse of treating pain in comparison general veteran population. Second, considering the fact that approximately a quarter of students report that they have difficulty performing everyday tasks, they must be undergoing pain treatment.
As opioids are the second line of pain treatment, it can be assumed that 22.2% of veteran students that reported severe pain were treated with opioids. This implies that the problem of opioid misuse is a significant problem that needs to be addressed. Third, considering the fact that opioids may lead to cognitive impairment, opioid misuse may affect the academic achievements of students.
The analysis of literature has significant implications for future research. It is recommended that future studies focus on closing the gaps in knowledge identified in the present paper. In particular, it is crucial to estimate the prevalence of veteran students that have a history of opioid misuse. Moreover, it is crucial to confirm that the opioid epidemic is a significant bother for the veteran student population. Finally, it imperative to evaluate the effect of opioid misuse on the academic achievement of veteran students.
Methods
The primary purpose of the study is to determine if opioid misuse has a significant impact on the academic achievement of veteran students. Recent studies demonstrate that opioid misuse may have an impact on the academic achievement of veteran students (Hudson et al., 2017). This study aims to determine the association between university performance and opioid misuse in veteran students. Additionally, it investigates how demographic differences, including age, gender, ethnicity, and income level moderate the effect of opioid misuse on academic performance. The hypothesis developed for the study anticipates that veteran students’ opioid misuse will have a significant impact on their grades. Descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression and t-test analysis will be used to test the hypothesis.
Sampling
The population under analysis is veteran students at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. A sample of randomly selected university students with experience in military service will be recruited at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa. The inclusion criteria were the fact of being a student of the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa and a history of engagement in the military. The absence of opioid use history will not be an exclusion criterion. The sample for the current research includes students at different years of study from the first year to graduate masters and doctoral students. Thus, the present research will use simple random sampling as the sampling method. According to Mellinger and Hanson (2016), simple random sampling is free from sampling biases, as each person in the population has an equal chance of being selected.
Instruments
The first primary construct will be the academic achievement of students will be operationalized as the current average GPA. It will be a continuous variable that will range between 0 and 5. GPA has been commonly used to measure academic achievement in all student populations, including veteran students, both currently and historically (Barry et al., 2014; Clark & Walker, 2020; Eakman et al., 2019). Academic achievement will be a dependent variable, as it is affected by a myriad of factors. It will be measured by asking “What is your cumulative grade point average?”
Academic achievement can be measured both qualitatively and quantitatively. The most frequently used measure for academic achievement in quantitative studies is the current GPA of students. In fact, even if the studies use other measures to quantify academic achievement (Bryan et al., 2014; Clark et al., 2020; Fonteyne et al., 2017; Novikova & Vorobyeva, 2017). However, there are other measures that were used in various studies to attend to the associated flaws of the measure. For instance, Bryan et al. (2014) used the concept of academic problems to assess students’ achievement.
The variable was measured by asking how frequently the students had late assignments, low grades, failed exams, and skipped classes. Even though this measure is applicable, the authors do not provide validation of the questionnaire assessing the variable. Fonteyne et al. (2017) also use a binary variable that demonstrates if the students passed the previous semester. However, the use of this measure is questionable when assessing the academic achievement of those students who have already graduated. In summary, even though there are other measures of academic achievement, GPA is the most consistent and validated method among the substitutes. However, supplementary measured for operationalizing academic achievement can be considered to improve the reliability of findings.
The second primary construct will be the opioid misuse, which will be measured using Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM). It is a commonly used instrument to measure opioid misuse in all populations. It is an instrument consisting of 17 items. Even though it is a self-reported questionnaire, it has been validated for screening purposes by numerous research (Butler et al., 2007; Butler et al., 2010). The instrument is recommended by both SAMHSA (2012) and CDC (2020).
The relationship between the two matters is expected to be moderated by demographic variables (Owens & Owens, 1949; Chan, 2018). The demographic variables will be measured by a self-made questionnaire that will include three questions:
What is your age?
What is your biological gender?
What is your ethnicity?
What is your income per household member?
Procedures
The proposed research is a correlational quantitative study. The study will measure GPA of two groups: veteran students who had a history of opioid misuse and veteran students who did not have the history of opioid misuse. Thus, the study has cross-sectional design. The recruitment will be conducted using emails that were asked to participate in the study. The recruited individuals will sign informed consent forms to validate their agreement for participation.
The emails will give short background information on the study, including its purpose, variables, hypothesis, and expected outcomes. The emails will also emphasize the significance of the study and its possible implications for scholars and policymakers. The emails will instruct the participants on the procedures and the tasks they will be expected to complete. The survey will be carried out using Qualtrics Surveys software.
Data Analysis
R software will be used to analyze the effect of (R Core Team, 2017). The data will be analyzed by means of descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple regression analyses to understand the influence of the independent variable on the academic achievement of student veterans. Answers to each question will be combined and visualized using appropriate tools. First, a two-sample t-test will be used to understand if there was a difference between the mean GPA scores of veteran students who use opioids for any purpose and those who do not use opioids. Second, multiples regression analysis will be used to understand how the control variables moderated the effect on GPA.
The selected methods allow understanding of the variety of interconnections between all the variables and test the influence of independent and control variables on the dependent variable (Mellinger & Hanson, 2016). The proposed data analysis process is relevant and consistent with the study goals.
References
Barry, A. E., Whiteman, S. D., & MacDermid Wadsworth, S. (2014). Student Service Members/Veterans in Higher Education: A Systematic Review. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 51(1), 30–42.
Banerjee, G., Edelman, E., Barry, D., Becker, W., Cerdá, M., & Crystal, S. (2016). Non-medical use of prescription opioids is associated with heroin initiation among US veterans: A prospective cohort study. Addiction, 111(11), 2021-2031.
Boccieri, B. J., Gazdik, K. W., Kerns, L., Williams, P. L., Landgraff, N. C., & Ge, W. (2019). Severe pain in veteran students. Journal of Allied Health, 48(3), 172-182.
Bryan, C. J., Bryan, A. O., Hinkson Jr, K., Bichrest, M., & Ahern, D. A. (2014). Depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and grade point average among student servicemembers and veterans. Journal of Rehabilitation Research & Development, 51(7), 1035-1045.
Butler, S. F., Budman, S. H., Fernandez, K. C., Houle, B., Benoit, C., Katz, N., & Jamison, R. N. (2007). Development and validation of the current opioid misuse measure. Pain, 130(1-2), 144-156.
Butler, S. F., Budman, S. H., Fanciullo, G. J., & Jamison, R. N. (2010). Cross validation of the Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) to monitor chronic pain patients on opioid therapy. The Clinical journal of pain, 26(9), 770.
Eakman, A. M., Kinney, A. R., Schierl, M. L., & Henry, K. L. (2019). Academic performance in student service members/veterans: Effects of instructor autonomy support, academic self-efficacy and academic problems. Educational Psychology, 39(8), 1005-1026.
Elliott, M., Gonzalez, C., & Larsen, B. (2011). US military veterans transition to college: Combat, PTSD, and alienation on campus. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48(3), 279-296.
Gowan, A. M. (1947). Unique characteristics of freshman veterans at the Iowa State College, with administrative implications [Doctoral dissertation]. Iowa State College.
Fonteyne, L., Duyck, W., & De Fruyt, F. (2017). Program-specific prediction of academic achievement on the basis of cognitive and non-cognitive factors. Learning and Individual Differences, 56, 34-48.
Hudson, T. J., Painter, J. T., Martin, B. C., Austen, M. A., Williams, J. S., Fortney, J. C.,… & Edlund, M. J. (2017). Pharmacoepidemiologic analyses of opioid use among OEF/OIF/OND veterans. Pain, 158(6), 1039-1045.
Jeno, L. M., Danielsen, A. G., & Raaheim, A. (2018). A prospective investigation of students’ academic achievement and dropout in higher education: A Self-Determination Theory approach. Educational Psychology, 38(9), 1163-1184.
Kroll, S. L., Nikolic, E., Bieri, F., Soyka, M., Baumgartner, M. R., & Quednow, B. B. (2018). Cognitive and socio-cognitive functioning of chronic non-medical prescription opioid users. Psychopharmacology, 235(12), 3451-3464.
Mellinger, C. D., & Hanson, T. A. (2016). Quantitative research methods in translation and interpreting studies. Taylor & Francis.
Novikova, I. A., & Vorobyeva, A. A. (2017). Big Five Factors and academic achievement in Russian students. Psychology in Russia, 10(4), 95.
Owens, W. A., & Owens Jr, W. A. (1949). Some factors in the academic superiority of veteran students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 40(8), 285-288.
R Core Team (2017). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation or Statistical Computing. Vienna, Austria. Web.
Semer, C., & Harmening, D. S. (2015). Exploring significant factors that impact the academic success of student veterans in higher education. Journal of Higher Education Theory & Practice, 15(7), 31-43.
Wilder, C., Miller, S., Tiffany, E., Winhusen, T., Winstanley, E., & Stein, M. (2015). Risk factors for opioid overdose and awareness of overdose risk among veterans prescribed chronic opioids for addiction or pain. Journal of Addictive Diseases, 35(1), 42-51.
This case study involves a chartered organization by the US government called the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). According to the case study, PVA is a philanthropic organization that focuses on serving the needs of American veterans who have suffered from spinal cord diseases and injuries (Stephenson & Taylor, 2021). Established in 1946, PVA raises money to support the Veteran’s healthcare advocacy, insurance cover, education, and research involving spinal injuries and diseases (Stephenson & Taylor, 2021). The organization raises money by sending mails, postages, and requests for donations through gifts.
However, most of their donation comes from direct mailings, where the organization sends greeting cards or free address labels to potential donors and requests for donations once the gifts are received (Hanks, Wright, & McKinnon, 2021). In 2016, the organization received more than $100 million from its donors. Out of this amount, $40 million was spent by the organization on postages (DeVeaux, Sharpe, & Velleman, n.d.). However, due to the solicitation of mail by the donors, the organization established that only a few donors responded.
Analysis Plan
Quantifiable Factors
As the name suggests, quantifiable factors are mainly used for financial analysis and help the company to make financial decisions. Consequently, PVA will use these factors to quantify the category of donors that is most cost-effective to the firm. In this case, the decision by PVA to use quantitative factors is due to the large amount of funding involved and the large amount of those funds used in sending the mail. Thus, the company wants to quantify the donor group that will have optimal donations with an almost negligible cost. On the contrary, quantifiable factors are less critical when less money is impacted by the decision made.
Problem Statement
Paralyzed Veterans of America, as a chartered organization, is a non-profit making organization. The organization obtains funds from well-wishers to address health needs for armed forces veterans who are having issues with spinal injuries or dysfunction. The organization reaches donors by sending postage or mailings. However, the cost of sending these emails is ineffective as some of the recipients do not respond. For instance, out of $100 million of donations, the company uses an estimated $40 million on mail and presents- 40% of the donations. Therefore, the company has noted that its operations are not effective and sustainable.
To be more efficient, they would like to know how past giving and demographic variables of their donors affect future donations or whether any correlation exists between past giving and demographic variables with future contributions. Using this information, the organization will identify the specific class of donors that the company will focus on. For instance, a segment whose past giving is unsatisfactory should not be prioritized when sending mails and postages.
Strategy
An appropriate strategy that PVA can use is to create scatterplots that will be used to measure the GIFAMNT against the predictor variables. The assignment is founded on the assumption that through scatterplots and regression analysis, PVA can help solve the problem of how to reduce the cost of mailings by determining the most cost-effective donor group (Shao et al., 2017). Below are screenshots of the six significant variables.
Screenshot 1: Scatterplots for MaleVets, LocalGov, and VietVets against Gift AmountScreenshot 2: Scatterplots for VietVets, StateGov, and FedGov against Gift Amount
In creating the above scatterplots, each variable is first placed in a Statcrunch. The independent variable was placed on the X-axis since it was not affected by manipulation. In contrast, the dependent variable was placed on the Y-axis since it was affected by manipulating the X-axis (Pokhariyal, 2019). Scatter plots for all the future predictor variables were created, as shown above. As evidenced above, the first scatterplot shows the relationship between GIFTAMNT and MaleVets, which shows the average amount of gifts received from male veterans is slightly below $50.00.
The other five scatterplots can be analyzed in the same manner. From the scatterplots, the organization can determine which donors they will send mailings and postage to based on future donations and previous campaigns. Therefore, using Statcrunch is an effective way for PVA can perform regression analysis and predict future donation behaviors for different donor groups. Thus, the choice of scatterplots is based on the fact that the decision-maker can use the plots to determine the variables that have a significant positive impact on the topic of interest- such variables should be incorporated in future donations. At the same time, scatter diagrams will identify variables with a negative effect on the topic of interest and should thus be ignored. Consequently, scatterplots allow PVA to confidently determine factors that matter most (significant donors) and variables that should be ignored (less significant donors).
Statistical Methods
Statistical Methods
As noted in the earlier section, the importance of this investigation is to predict future donations by exploring the demographic and past contributions of various donors. Consequently, investigators can use different statistical tools for this prediction. The four statistical tools employed in this investigation are: StatCrunch, scatter diagrams, regression & multiple regression, and Excel Spreadsheet analysis. Scatterplots will be obtained through Statcrunch and help the decision maker determine the general direction of the trend between GIFTAMNT against the demographic factor under consideration.
The second statistical method is regression analysis which uses the general trend of the slope to come up with a regression equation. If the gradient of the equation is positive, then the variable is significant. However, the variable should be ignored if the gradient is negative. Consequently, by running a regression analysis, the PVA will likely predict the next group of donors and thus send mailings and postages without incurring costs (Foley, 2018). The first step in regression analysis is to run a correlation matrix test to see which of the 26 factors positively correlate to the GIFTAMNT and to what extent.
Furthermore, a multiple regression analysis is done using the p-values of each variable to determine if the factor will be included in the final regression equation (Foley, 2018). StatCrunch and Microsoft Excel are appropriate tools for this analysis since they comprise a collection of statistical and mathematical formulas that allow PVA to analyze large volumes of data. The Excel Data Analysis tool is a convenient tool to use in this analysis. The choice of Excel data analysis is that it can be used to filter or sort data and arrange data in ascending or descending order. Moreover, scatter plots and regression analysis can also be performed using Excel data analysis.
Justification of the Methods Used
StatCrunch
StatCrunch is Pearson Education’s web-based statistical software application for analyzing raw data. The software was created to be used in colleges offering statistics courses. However, with machine learning and extensive data analysis, StatCrunch has grown to a full-featured statistics package and is now used in financial analysis and other statistical analysis purposes. The reason for using StatCrunch is that it simplifies all the aspects of data analysis from presentation interpretation and also provides calculations based on the confidence level. The final outcomes are presented in a simplified table.
Consequently, the choice for the StatCrunch is due to the multiple variables that require stepwise regression when calculating the multiple regression. Excel does not provide this special feature. Furthermore, StatCrunch enables the decision-maker to describe data with its correlation. As such, PVA can use StatCrunch to determine the correlation between the demographic variables and past donations with the future amount. In this way, PVA can better forecast future gifts so that they can easily target the responsive segments. This way, mailing, and postage will be sent to individuals who will respond; thus, the campaign will be efficient, and the organization’s activities will become sustainable.
Scatterplots
Another statistical tool used in Milestone 1 is scatterplots. A scatterplot helps determine the relationship between two variables. This relationship can be between two variables, which can be positively, negatively, or not correlated (Mishra et al., 2019). The first variable is independent, and the second depends on the first. To analyze the relationship pattern, change the independent variable and observe the change in the dependent variable. A scatterplot can have two independent variables used to measure their relationship.
Therefore, the reasons for using the scatterplot are: First, the scatterplot helps determine how closely two variables are related and predicts the behavior of the dependent variable as a measure of the independent variable (Rentala, 2019). A reasonably good correlation between the two variables can be expected if the dots are very dense, such as very close. On the other hand, if the points are widely distributed, a poor correlation between them can be expected.
Secondly, scatter plots are easy to understand and interpret. If an uptrend goes up from the lower-left corner towards the top-right corner, then the relationship is a positive correlation or otherwise negative (Mishra et al., 2019). For instance, the correlation appears to be positively collated in the scatter diagram of GIFT AMNT against the MaleVets. In contrast, in the scatter diagram GIFT AMNT against the StateGov, the trend seems to move from the top left corner to the bottom right corner, thus showing a negative correlation.
Regression and Multiple Regression
It is important to note that scatter diagrams go in hand with the regression equation, where a positive gradient shows a positive correlation. In contrast, a negative slope shows a negative correlation. A zero gradient (a straight line) shows the absence of correlation (Plonsky & Oswald, 2017). For instance, in the scatter diagram of GIFT AMNT against FedGov, the projected regression equation has a zero gradient which means that the two variables are not correlated. Using the scatter diagram will help PVA to select a population with a positive correlation. For instance, in decision-making, PVA could prioritize MaleVets in postages and mailing as opposed to StateGov since a positive correlation maximizes returns.
Regression analysis is a quantitative tool for sorting variables that can have an impact. While using regression analysis, businesses can determine the factors or variables that are most important and ignore those deemed unimportant (De Menezes et al., 2021). For instance, PVA has 26 variables, some of which are important while others can be ignored. Using regression analysis and scatter diagrams, PVA will identify factors that will increase revenue collection and cut costs on expenditure. Regression analysis is a powerful tool that allows decision-makers to explore the relationship between two or more variables of interest. It is important to note that the importance of this assignment was to predict future behaviors based on the current demographic factors of the donor. Consequently, a key advantage of regression analysis is the ability to predict or forecast.
Regression involves predicting future opportunities and risks and is the most widespread application of regression analysis in economics. For example, Morrissey and Ruxton (2018) argued that predictive analytics could include needs analysis that tries to predict the number of goods a consumer will buy in the future. Using predictive analytics, PVA can analyze the future donation behavior of the targeted population using the derived regression equation (Sarstedt et al., 2021). For instance, given that the GIFTAMNT is the Y-variable and the MaleVets is the X-variable, it is possible to calculate the predicted GIFTAMNT by substituting the value of X in the regression equation obtained.
Microsoft Excel’s Data Analysis Tool
A fourth statistical approach that was applied in this assignment is the use of Excel data analysis through the application of spreadsheets. Spreadsheets are still relevant and are an excellent tool for studying data. In using Excel in this assignment, it is possible to organize data, evaluate, and calculate some essential elements such as p-value, mean, percentages, and plot graphs (Incerti et al., 2019). In addition, Blayney and Sun (2019) opined that Excel helped users create equations that allowed them to provide more data about essential business functions such as workflow, project performance, financial forecasts and budgets, and even inventory and utilization levels. Consequently, the ability to organize large amounts of data using Excel into logical and orderly spreadsheets and charts is also demonstrated in this task. Organized data is much easier to analyze and digest, primarily when used to create charts and other visual representations of data.
Using descriptive statistics from Microsoft Excel’s data analysis tool, data can be analyzed to determine where the wasted postal money is most likely coming from. It is possible to arrange the data based on alphabetical order using Excel sheet analysis or regression (Mishra et al., 2019). For instance, from the 26 groups that letters were sent to, it is possible to use an Excel sheet to find the average, median, and range of contribution, thus predicting the group that is most effective.
Data-Driven Decisions
Process
This investigation aimed to use statistical analysis to help PVA make decisions that will help the company’s operations to be sustainable and effective. In conducting this statistical analysis, a four-step process was used by the investigator as summarized below.
Step 1: Plan
Every process must start with a plan. Consequently, in conducting this statistical analysis, it is paramount that the investigator plans for various aspects. For instance, formulation of statistical questions or formulating hypotheses. For example, how can PVA predict future donations based on the trends of past GIFTAMNT received?
Step 2: Data Collection
The second step is to collect data. In this case, data will be collected based on how PVA receives GIFTAMNT from different donors. The data will be gathered based on male vets, Fedgov, age, etc. For this investigation, data will be downloaded from PVA’s website- a secondary data collection method.
Step 3: Data Analysis
This step organizes and summarizes the collected data using numerical or graphical methods. As noted in the above section, PVA could use four data analysis tools: StatCrunch, regression, scatterplots, and excel spreadsheet. For StatCrunch, PVA could select option ‘regression’ and then identify the variables, in this case, “Gift amount” and “Lastgift. After the data has been put, the summary of the output will be shown together with calculated ANOVA (analysis of variance) and Regression Analysis. The output will also show whether the data is significant or insignificant with respect to the selected variables. From our analysis, the value of R is 0.7 while p<0.05 shows a significant relationship between “Gift amount” and “Lastgift.
Step 4: Interpret the Result of the Analysis
PVA should use step 3 to interpret the findings and answer the research question. In this case, the results show a significant positive correlation between GIFTAMNT and past donations. Consequently, PVA can argue that one-time donations can be used to predict future gift amounts.
Step 5: Application of the Findings
It should be noted that the importance of this investigation was to help the organization make its operations efficient. Consequently, a statistical analysis of the company’s demographic variables based on past donations has been done, and interpretation made. A correlation between past and future contributions has been established in this case. PVA should use the findings to make its campaign efficient in receiving the results. For instance, the organization should focus on the segment with significant contributions and ignore the element with a meager and inconsistent contribution. In this way, PVA will make use of this report.
Data-Driven Decisions
Data Mining
Data mining is an essential step in research. It is the process through which hidden data is looked at, valid and valuable patterns of a dataset identified, and other helpful information also gathered. Data mining is mainly done during the literature review. Consequently, data mining is used by the investigator to discover unsuspected or unknown relationships among the data. PVA’s dataset is an example of metadata used in this case scenario.
Moreover, a regression analysis tool was used in this case study to uncover relationships and patterns between data. In particular, the regression analysis was used to determine the likelihood of a specific variable impacting future donations. The variables are veteran status, gender, age, homeownership, or gift amount. Data was also mined on the importance of statistical analysis in making financial-based decisions.
Structured vs. Unstructured
Structured data is defined as information that can be presented in the form of rows and columns where every column is a variable and observations are represented in rows. On the contrary, unstructured data is represented in various ways, including graphical representation, images, screenshots, or data images. In this application, screenshots will represent unstructured data, while charts will be used for structured data. Therefore, the mined data need to be converted to a format that readers can easily consume or in a manner that can easily be compared. Scatter diagrams will be used in this scenario to compare independent and dependent variables. The investigator will use regression analysis for structured data since it is straightforward in obtaining the response in the GIFTAMNT outcome. Consequently, PVA obtains a relationship between independent and dependent variables through structured and unstructured datasets, which helps the organization make informed decisions.
Variables
Variables play a significant role in data analysis. In this case, the focus was mainly on the relationship between GIFT AMOUNT and other variables, while the organization’s goal was to establish whether there existed a correlation between demographics and past giving behavior with future giving. Consequently, each of the six scatterplots presents a unique understanding of how each variable could help address the research question. On the scatterplots, each independent variable did not affect the X-axis and the dependent variable on the Y-axis. This indicates that the average amount of gifts a PVA can receive from male veterans is under $50.00. This scatterplot must be able to assist PVA in its determination (see MALE VETMALE VET variable). This indicates that the average prize amount a PVA can receive from a male veteran is under $50.00.
However, it should be noted that the independent variables in this investigation were 26 with 3635 observations in each variable. This a “big data” which could represent challenges in computation and comparison. For effective comparison, the investigator only focused on six independent variables drawn from the initial 26 variables.
Recommend Operational Improvements
Data-Driven Calculations
Through regression analysis, one shall attempt to show the relationship (whether dependent or not dependent) between the predictor and response variables. First, the analysis will run an independence test between the variables. Second, a regression test will be conducted to determine the dependent variable’s causal effect (Zhao & Hastie, 2021). The p-values are set to equal to <0.0001.
Since the used p-value is <0.05, one can conclude that donor characteristics and GIFTAMNT are not independent. Further, since the two are not independent, one can conduct a regression analysis between the two variables to predict future trends (Gunst & Mason, 2018). On the other hand, the calculated R square is 54.60%, meaning that more than half of the variation in donor characteristics is related to gift amounts (Karch, 2020). This means that PVA can predict the causal relationship between donors and their characteristics to predict future donation behaviors.
The table below represents ANOVA for the multiple regression model:
Table showing Analysis of variance table for the multiple regression model
Source
DF
SS
MS
F-Stat
P-value
Model
26
288040.5
11079.4
167
<0.0001
Error
3600
239430.00
66.20
Total
3640
527467.00
Parameter Estimates
A table showing parameters of estimates
Parameter
Est.
Std. error
Alternative
DF
T-stat
P-value
Intercept
5.280
0.490
≠
3635
10.97
<0.0001
AVGGIFT
0.380
0.040
≠
3635
29.61
<0.0001
LAST GIFT
0.601
0.020
≠
3635
26.62
<0.0001
MIGRANT
-0.206
0.034
≠
3635
-5.29
<0.0001
NIGHTFALL
-0.099
0.160
≠
3635
-6.20
<0.0001
CLUSTER2
-0.016
0.007
≠
3635
-2.18
0.0289
HOMEOWNER
-0.752
0.291
≠
3635
-2.58
0.0098
STATEGOV
0.0522
0.026
≠
3635
1.98
0.0468
Summary of the Line of Best Fit
MSE root = 8.14
R-squared = 0.5460
R-squared when adjusted = 0.5430
The calculation above means that R-squared is equal to 0.5460 or 54.6%. The value of R-squared is only greater than 50%, which shows a weak positive correlation between the variables. Despite the weak positive correlation, it means that 54.6% of the donors’ characteristics variation correlates with the GIFTAMNT. Thus PVA can use the stated variables to forecast future donations of the selected demographic variables.
Summary of Results
Since the organization wants to improve its operations by looking for efficiency in determining the correlation between past donations and demographic factors and their impact on future contributions, the analysis has shown a positive correlation. Consequently, the organization should prioritize the demographic variables that have shown consistency in higher contributions and give special attention to this variable by sending mailing cards and greetings. Indeed, the regression analysis has shown a relationship between donors and how much GIFTAMNT the organization receives from past donations. By analyzing this information, the organization can improve its efficiency in the donation and save some costs, such as mailing and buying greeting cards to insignificant donor segments. Instead, the organization would use this cost to focus on the new donor segment. Therefore, the organization can forecast its future donations in an efficient program through statistical analysis.
Solution
The regression model showed that 54.34% of the variance in donor characteristics was associated with the number of gifts. Therefore, it can be argued that PVA can track donors’ behavior through this regression analysis, thereby creating an efficient way of targeting these donors. The organization will prioritize the donors and determine who will receive personalized attention in its annual campaigns. Besides, the analysis suggests that by reducing the number of mail and postages, the organization will improve its fundraising performance by saving the amount spent on administration, buying gifts, and mailings. Indeed, if PVA can save on some of these costs, it will reallocate the funds to programs that directly benefit disabled veterans.
Conclusion
As noted in Milestone 1, PVA raises money in various ways, fundraising through direct mailings and postage campaigns. However, the challenge with this campaign is the high cost of shipping and posting the gift cards since PVA uses over $40 million to collect a donation of about $100 million. In assignment one, statistical methods were used to help the company make decisions on future contributions by using current information on donors’ behavior to predict future gift amounts.
In conclusion, this paper has demonstrated that the descriptive quantitative analysis tools used in this assignment are easy to understand, cheap, and provide accurate data. For instance, Excel spreadsheets are found in the Microsoft packages, while regression analysis is located in the Data Analysis Toolkit of an Excel spreadsheet. The availability and ease of application compelled me to use these tools over ANOVA and SPSS software, which is challenging to compute. Most importantly, the selected tools have allowed me to sort the data into different categories.
Looking at the data, a group stands out unfavorably for the mailers provided by PVA. Consequently, based on the three statistical tools, this paper demonstrates that PVA should prioritize MaleVets, LocalGov, and VietVets as these groups are predicted to have higher future returns based on scatter diagrams and regression equations. Furthermore, using the multiple regression analysis, the paper demonstrates that PVA can compare the returns from different donors and decide on the most cost-effective donor.
Plonsky, L., & Oswald, F. L. (2017). Multiple regression as a flexible alternative to ANOVA in L2 research. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 39(3), 579–592. Web.
