Date of Award

6-2018

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Social Work

Department

School of Social Work

First Reader/Committee Chair

Barragan, Armando/Chang, Janet

Abstract

The purpose of this research study was to explore female service members, reservists, and veterans feelings regarding service related trauma and what they want clinicians to know regarding treatment. This was a qualitative study that used a snowball sample to interview seven women; data collected was transcribed from recordings, analyzed, and categorized into themes. Qualitative themes included vulnerability, connection to clinician, and mental health stigma. Potential changes endorsed included understanding gender roles, clinician’s ability to build better therapeutic relationships, and decreasing mental health stigma. Limitations included not being able to generalize the study as service members, reservists, and veterans were not looked at independently from one another. Recommendations for the social work profession include upholding the dignity and worth of each client, understanding client’s perceptions, and advocating for policy changes. Future research will be fundamental in understanding how to provide better mental health treatment to females in combat military roles.

Included in

Social Work Commons

Share

COinS