The purpose of this article is to examine how past relational trauma can influence an individual's coping strategies when deployed. This study will investigate the relationship between prior trauma exposure and current coping behaviors in military personnel who have been deployed. It is hypothesized that individuals with greater prior trauma experience may employ different coping mechanisms than those without such experiences.
Literature Review
Trauma can be defined as "an event or series of events that has had lasting and damaging effects on a person's life." Traumatic events include experiencing or witnessing physical harm, assault, abuse, accidents, war, disasters, violence, death, loss, betrayal, humiliation, or other extreme stressors. Prior research suggests that trauma exposure can result in negative psychological outcomes such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance misuse, suicidality, or other mental health concerns. In addition, trauma survivors often demonstrate increased risk-taking behavior, impulsivity, aggression, hyperarousal, or dissociative symptoms.
Hypothesis
It is hypothesized that prior relational trauma exposure during deployment will be positively associated with the use of maladaptive coping strategies, including avoidant coping, denial, repression, and externalization. These strategies involve attempts to ignore or distract from one's feelings, minimize their severity, blame others for causing them, or seek support outside oneself.
It is also possible that these individuals may engage in adaptive coping strategies like problem-solving, social support-seeking, emotional regulation, acceptance, or active coping instead.
Methodology
This study will utilize an online survey consisting of demographic questions and validated measures assessing past trauma exposure and current coping behaviors. The sample size will be 500 military personnel deployed overseas at least once in the last five years. Trauma experiences will be measured using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist - Civilian Version (PCL-C) and Coping Strategies Questionnaire-36 (CSQ-36). Data analysis will include descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVAs, Pearson correlations, regression models, and mediation analyses.
Discussion
The results of this study are expected to provide insight into how prior relational trauma affects coping strategies during deployment. If the hypothesis is supported, implications for clinical practice, policy reform, and future research can be discussed. This study has important practical applications for improving mental health outcomes among military personnel who have experienced previous trauma.
This article provided an overview of a hypothetical study examining the relationship between prior relational trauma and coping strategies during deployment. It outlined the literature review, methodological approach, hypotheses, and anticipated findings. This article highlighted the importance of considering prior trauma when evaluating military personnel's coping mechanisms during deployment. Future studies should consider other variables that may influence coping, such as cultural norms or combat exposure.
How do prior relational traumas affect coping strategies during deployment?
A research article published by Bray et al. (2018) indicates that past relationship difficulties can influence how military personnel cope with stressors they encounter during deployment. They explain that people who have previously experienced trauma often develop coping mechanisms such as avoidance, denial, and suppression of emotions, which may interfere with their ability to adapt to new situations effectively.