Coping Abilities of Military Veterans: Spirituality and Self-Efficacy

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to better understand how two aspects of holistic care, spirituality and self-efficacy, inform interventions to reduce symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Military Veterans.
Research Question: How do daily spiritual experience and self-efficacy relate to PTSD?
Setting, sample: The convenience sample (N=200) was recruited from multiple Veteran Service Organization (VSO) sites in Hampton Roads, Virginia and three close outlying sites.
Measures: A demographic survey and three standard measures were used: the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5; (=0.97), The Daily Spiritual Experience Scale (DSES), (=0.96), and the General Self Efficacy Scale (GSES), (=0.92).
Method: Descriptive correlational
Procedures: The PI recruited participants on-site at the VSOs. Following completion of the consent process, participants answered paper and pencil questionnaires anonymously. The completed questionnaires were collected and the data was analyzed.
Results: Scores on DSES were not significantly associated with scores on the PCL-5. DSES and GSES were directly correlated (r = .164, p = .021). GSES scores were negatively correlated with the PCL-5 (r = -.555, p < .001).
Conclusion: This study supports the promotion of self-efficacy in interventions to prevent and possibly reduce PTSD. Though spirituality was not found to directly impact PTSD, further study of the relationship between spirituality, self-efficacy and PTSD is warranted.
Keywords: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Spirituality, Self-Efficacy