The Association between Early Life Trauma and Veteran Reintegration to Civilian Life

Abstract

The rate of early life trauma (ELT) is higher among military service members than civilians. While ELT is associated with higher post-traumatic stress disorder following deployment, it is unknown whether other reintegration difficulties are associated with various types of ELT. The present study investigated the relationship between ELT and reintegration difficulties among veterans. Additionally, the influence of the desire to escape ELT as enlistment motivation on this relationship was examined. Data were obtained from 257 veterans between the ages of 20 and 76 years who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Global War on Terrorism. Results revealed a significant positive relationship between emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and physical neglect with veterans’ reintegration difficulties. Additionally, enlisting as motivation to escape ELT significantly influenced the relationship between emotional abuse and physical neglect with intimate relationship problems and career challenges, respectively. These findings help facilitate our understanding of factors contributing to reintegration difficulties. In particular, information about the individual history of veterans’ ELT and their enlistment motivation can be used by social workers and other mental health care professionals to successfully assist veterans with the transition to civilian life.