Abstract

Military veterans are entering higher education spaces at a steady rate. While their visibility on U.S. campuses is increasing, these veterans face various challenges in entering higher education. This mixed-methods study examined the relationships among military identity, trauma exposure, and psychological functioning in student veterans, with a focus on meaning in life, life satisfaction, and social engagement. Quantitative data was used to assess correlations and associations between meaning making, military identification, satisfaction with life, and college involvement, while qualitative data were used to contextualize and extend statistical findings. Results indicated that military identity was positively associated with meaning making but was not related to satisfaction with life or social engagement on campus. Hierarchical regression analyses demonstrated that military service variables (e.g., number of deployments) and experiences of trauma were predictors of psychological outcomes (sense of belonging and purpose in life). Qualitative findings further revealed that military service functioned as a part of identity-formation, shaped by several factors that included occupational roles, gendered experiences, camaraderie, and varied transition pathways. Integrating Berry’s (2005) acculturation theory and Hammond’s (2015) Combat Veteran Conceptual Identity Model (CVCIM), results suggest that veteran adjustment is best understood as an ongoing process of identity reconstruction and cultural transition that is associated with cumulative trauma and identity integration as well as military service characteristics. Overall, findings highlight the importance of trauma-informed and identity-focused approaches to supporting veterans in higher education.

Date of publication

7-23-2026

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

english

Persistent identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10950/5093

Committee members

(Dissertation Chair) Adam McGuire, PhD.; Eric Stocks, PhD.; David Mills, PhD.

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology

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