Use this URL to cite or link to this record in EThOS: | https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.795036 |
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Title: | The experience of homecoming for U.K. Army Reservists, following prolonged military mobilisation : a mixed methods IPA & Q Sort study | ||||||
Author: | Fairweather, Lionel Ronald Bernhard |
ORCID:
0000-0002-4080-3954
ISNI:
0000 0004 8501 8671
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Awarding Body: | University of East London | ||||||
Current Institution: | University of East London | ||||||
Date of Award: | 2018 | ||||||
Availability of Full Text: |
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Abstract: | |||||||
Background. There is a move towards increased use of Reservists for all aspects of U.K. military operations. The dominant research focus looks for the link between increased military service and negative outcomes and has suggested that Reservists are especially prone to problems of adjustment on homecoming. Research in to the effects of homecoming on Reservists was found to be a neglected topic in the literature. Research question. The aim of this research was to explore how members of the United Kingdom Army Reserve experience returning to civilian life (homecoming), following a period of prolonged military mobilization. Method. A mixed methods approach was utilized. Firstly, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was conducted on six Reservists, in order to understand their personal experiences of homecoming. Q Methodology was then selected for the second phase, using the IPA themes as the primary source for the Q Set. A Q Sort was conducted with 20 Reservists, in order to deliver the shared subjective viewpoints pertaining to homecoming. Results. Six themes emerged from the IPA phase, describing homecoming in terms of; activities, adjustment, culture, emotions, reflection and values. The Q Sort phase distilled the six themes into four homecoming factors: reflection on personal growth; adjustment, not stress; sense making and personal circumstances. Conclusions. The experience of participating on military operations was generally found to be developmental, supporting the concept of post-traumatic growth. Minimal adjustment issues were reported on homecoming relating to experiences on operations. However, some participants reported partners and close family members could be adversely affected. Also, any homecoming issues were more as a consequence of other pre-existing factors.
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Supervisor: | Not available | Sponsor: | Not available | ||||
Qualification Name: | Thesis (D.Psych.) | Qualification Level: | Doctoral | ||||
EThOS ID: | uk.bl.ethos.795036 | DOI: | |||||
Keywords: | Reservists stress ; Army ; Armed Forces ; military ; mobilization ; deployment ; operations ; adjustment ; reintegration ; stress ; post-traumatic stress ; resilience ; post-traumatic growth ; social identity ; family ; phenomenology ; IPA ; Q methodology ; Q Sort | ||||||
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