Development of a Multidimensional Measure of Post-deployment Reintegration: Initial Psychometric Analyses & Descriptive Results (Final Report to Director General Health Services Quality of Life Research Grant).

摘要

Returning home from overseas military service typically occurs within 24 hours. This abrupt return to "normal" roles and activities can be a significant stressor. To date, most information on the effects of post-deployment reintegration comes from American Vietnam War veterans suffering from PTSD, recalling their experiences years later. The present research is the first to develop a theoretically based, multidimensional, measure of post-deployment reintegration that reflects the experience of Canadian Forces soldiers. The measure, based on a review of the literature and discussions with CF personnel who have deployed, was constructed to reflect positive and negative aspects of four theoretical dimensions of reintegration: personal, family, occupational, and cultural reintegration. Three hundred and seventy-four CF veterans of Op Apollo in Afghanistan completed the initial Reintegration Survey. Exploratory factor analyses revealed both positive and negative aspects of the four dimensions of post-deployment reintegration. Overall, soldiers reported more positive than negative reintegration experiences. The most positive scores were associated with family and cultural reintegration, and the most negative scores were associated with work experiences. Some demographic group differences were associated with marital status, dependants, occupational group, and number of previous deployments.