ABSTRACT

Given over 2.77 million US service members have been deployed in the past 20 years and the intense process of reintegration to civilian life, understanding factors that contribute to Veterans’ mental health and substance use is critical. This study sought to understand the effects of US identity exploration, US identity commitment, US identity affirmation, and US identity centrality on substance use and symptoms of depression and anxiety. The sample consisted of 195 US military Veterans (n = 184, 53.3% women; 73.3% White; M_age  = 35.12 years, SD = 9.60 years). Bivariate correlations indicated US identity affirmation was negatively associated with substance use and symptoms of depression and anxiety whereas US identity centrality was positively correlated with alcohol use. Utilizing structural equation model, US identity affirmation and US identity centrality were, respectively, negatively and positively associated with alcohol use, substance use, and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Partially consistent with our hypothesis, US identity exploration was positively associated with symptoms of anxiety. In contrast to our hypothesis, US identity commitment was not significantly associated with any outcome. Results are discussed in terms of important directions for identity research in the transition to civilian life.

 抽象的

鉴于过去 20 年来部署了超过 277 万美国军人，以及重新融入平民生活的紧张过程，了解影响退伍军人心理健康和药物滥用的因素至关重要。本研究旨在了解美国身份探索、美国身份承诺、美国身份肯定和美国身份中心性对物质使用以及抑郁和焦虑症状的影响。样本由 195 名美国退伍军人组成（ n = 184，其中 53.3% 为女性；73.3% 为白人； M_年龄= 35.12 岁， SD = 9.60 岁）。双变量相关性表明，美国的身份肯定与物质使用以及抑郁和焦虑症状呈负相关，而美国的身份中心性与饮酒呈正相关。利用结构方程模型，美国身份肯定和美国身份中心性分别与饮酒、物质使用以及抑郁和焦虑症状呈负相关和正相关。与我们的假设部分一致的是，美国身份探索与焦虑症状呈正相关。与我们的假设相反，美国的身份承诺与任何结果都没有显着相关。结果根据向平民生活过渡的身份研究的重要方向进行了讨论。