Self-compassion and post-traumatic stress disorder in the military experience of veterans

Authors

  • Daria Hoshovska Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University
  • Yaroslav Hoshovskiy Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29038/2227-1376-2024-43-hos

Keywords:

veterans, military experience, self-awareness, self-compassion, self-acceptance, post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract

Purpose. The article provides an analytical review of the problem of self-compassion and psychological features of stress disorder in military personnel who have military life experience.

Methods. To ensure the realization of the research goal, we involved the methods of scientific and theoretical study: analysis, synthesis, generalization, abstraction, thanks to which it was possible to find out the meaningful and functional purpose and combination of the analyzed phenomena.

Results. The theoretical analysis of the thematic scientific and psychological literature on the problems of self-compassion and post-traumatic stress disorder gave reasons to assert the existence of close correlations between them. Self-compassion as one of the basic constructs of self-awareness of veteran combatants who are negatively affected by post-traumatic stress symptoms, together with other psychotechniques of self-support, usually plays a positive psychoprotective, rehabilitative and generally revitalizing and life-affirming function.

Conclusions. Self-compassion expresses a person's desire to achieve psychological well-being and, together with self-esteem, self-acceptance, self-approval, self-affirmation, etc., attests to the formation of an important mechanism for holistic self-awareness of a person. Self-compassion allows you to reduce the feeling of guilt associated with the traumatic experience of the past, makes it possible to resist fatigue and burnout, provides the experience of subjective happiness, and serves as a guarantee of maintaining the mental health of military veterans. In general, self-compassion can have a relaxing effect on harmonizing the disturbed affectivity of a person with military experience and significantly optimize recovery after traumatic exposure and the consequences of post-traumatic stress disorder.

References

Hoshovska, D., Hoshovskyi, Ya. (2023). Suchasna militarna psykholohiia : riznovektornist doslidzhen [Modern military psychology: diversity of research]. Psykholohichni perspektyvy – Psychological Prospects Journal, 42, 38–54. https://doi.org/10.29038/2227-1376-2023-42-hos [in Ukrainian].

Hoshovskyi, Ya. (2023). Problemy militarnoho samopryiniattia osobystosti v suchasnykh naukovo-psykholohichnykh doslidzhenniakh [Problems of military self-acceptance of the individual in modern scientific and psychological research]. Materials of Kh-th International Scientific and Practical Internet Conference (Nov 27 – Dec 02, 2023) / za zah. red. Ya. O. Hoshovskoho, T. I. Duchyminskoi, Zh. P. Virnoi, D. T. Hoshovskoi, O. Ye. Ivanashko. Lutsk : PP Ivaniuk V. P, 99–102. https://www.inforum.in.ua/conferences/30/112/828 [in Ukrainian].

Kostruba, N. (2023). Psykhichne zdorovia viiskovosluzhbovtsiv [Mental health of military servicemen]. Psykholohichni perspektyvy – Psychological Prospects Journal, 41, 120–132. https://doi.org/10.29038/2227-1376-2023-41-kos [in Ukrainian].

Masliuk, A., Orzheshko, D. (2023). Psykholohichni osoblyvosti militarnoho samopryiniattia kursantiv viiskovykh zakladiv [Psychological peculiarities of military self-acceptance of cadets of military institutions]. Psykholohichni perspektyvy – Psychological Prospects Journal, 42, 127–141 https://doi.org/10.29038/2227-1376-2023-42-mas [in Ukrainian].

Mushkevych V. O. (2023). Frustratsiia yak chynnyk psykhoemotsiinoho vyhorannia yunakiv-uchasnykiv boiovykh dii [Frustration as a factor in psycho-emotional burnout of young combatants]. Candidate’s thesis. Lutsk: Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University. [in Ukrainian].

Bergen-Cico, D, Smith, Y, Wolford, K, Gooley, C, Hannon, K, Woodruff, R, Spicer, M, Gump, B. (2018). Ownership and Training Reduces Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and Increases Self-Compassion Among Veterans: Results of a Longitudinal Control Study. J Altern Complement Med, 12, 1166-1175. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2018.0179

Bluth, K. & Neff, K. D. (2018). New frontiers in understanding the benefits of self-compassion. Self and Identity, 17:6, 605-608, https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2018.1508494

Craig, P. J., Alger, D. M., Bennett, J. L.,& Martin, T. P. (2020). The transformative nature of fly-fishing for veterans and military personnel with posttraumatic stress disorder. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 54(2), 150–172. https://doi.org/10.18666/TRJ-2020-V54-I2-9965

Dahm, K.A., Meyer, E.C., Neff, K.D., Kimbrel, N.A., Gulliver, S.B., Morissette, S.B. (2015). Mindfulness, Self-Compassion, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Functional Disability in U.S. Iraq and Afghanistan War Veterans. J Trauma Stress, (5), 460-464. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.22045

Ellison, W.D., Lupo, M.I., Adickes A. & Mirpour M. (2023). The relations between health behaviors and self-concept clarity: An experience-sampling study. Self and Identity, 22:7-8, 1093-1112. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298868.2023.2287264

Forkus, S. R., Breines, J. G.,& Weiss, N. H. (2019). Morally injurious experiences and mental health: The moderating role of self-compassion. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 11(6), 630–638. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000446

Gaudet, C. M., Sowers, K. M., Nugent, W. R., & Boriskin, J. A. (2016). A review of PTSD and shame in military Veterans. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 26(1), 56–68. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2015.1059168

Good, C.H., Brager, A.J., Capaldi, V.F., Mysliwiec, V. (2020). Sleep in the United States Military. Neuropsychopharmacology, 45(1), 176–191. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-019-0431-7

Held, P., & Owens, G. P. (2015). Effects of self-compassion workbook training on trauma-related guilt in a sample of homeless Veterans: A pilot study. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 71(6), 513–526. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22170

Johnson, E. A., & O’Brien, K. A. (2013). Self-compassion soothes the savage EGO-threat system: Effects on negative affect, shame, rumination, and depressive symptoms. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 32(9), 939–963. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp2013.32.99.39

Johnson, R.A., Albright, D.L., Marzolf, J.R. et al. (2018). Effects of therapeutic horseback riding on post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans. Mil Med.Res., 5(1):3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40779-018-0149-6

Kearney, D. J., Malte, C. A., McManus, C., Martinez, M. E., Felleman, B., & Simpson, T. L. (2013). Loving-kindness meditation for posttraumatic stress disorder: A pilot study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 26, 426–434. http://dx. doi.org/10.1002/jts.21832

Kelley, M. L., Bravo, A. J., Davies, R. L., Hamrick, H. C., Vinci, C. & Redman, J. C. (2019). Moral injury and suicidality among combat-wounded veterans: The moderating effects of social connectedness and self-compassion. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 11(6), 621–629. https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0000447

Klich, U. (2016). Clinical use of self-compassion within mindfulness-based biofeedback in the treatment of veterans and spouses: A case study. Biofeedback, 44(3), 138–144. https://doi.org/10.5298/1081-5937-44.3.08

Neff, K. (2003). Self-Compassion: An Alternative Conceptualization of a Healthy Attitude Toward Oneself. Self and Identity, 2:2, 85-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032

Neff, K.D. (2009). The Role of Self-Compassion in Development: A Healthier Way to Relate to Oneself. Hum Dev. Jun, 52(4), 211-214. https://doi.org/10.1159/000215071

Ramon, A.E., Possemato, K. & Bergen-Cico, D. (2022) Relationship of rumination and self-compassion to posttraumatic stress symptoms among Veterans, Military Psychology, 34:1, 121-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2021.1976040

Reed II, D. E., Lehinger, E. A., Cobos, B., Williams, R. M., McGeary, C.A. & McGeary, D. D. (2024). The mediating role of posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in pain cognitions among Veterans with chronic pain, Military Psychology, https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2024.2309897

Steen, M. P., Di Lemma, L., Finnegan, A., Wepa, D., & McGhee, S. (2021). Self-Compassion and Veteran's Health: A Scoping Review. Journal of Veterans Studies, 7(1), 86–130. https://doi.org/10.21061/jvs.v7i1.219

Zeller, M., Yuval, K., Nitzan-Assayag, Y.,& Bernstein, A.(2015). Self-compassion in recovery following potentially traumatic stress: Longitudinal study of at-risk youth. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 43(4), 645–653. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-014-9937-y

Published

2024-06-24

How to Cite

Hoshovska, D., & Hoshovskiy, Y. (2024). Self-compassion and post-traumatic stress disorder in the military experience of veterans. Psychological Prospects Journal, 43, 64-79. https://doi.org/10.29038/2227-1376-2024-43-hos

Similar Articles

1-10 of 231

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 > >>