Resilient Warrior Research Project (RWRP)
The RWRP is an independent, non-commercial endeavor originating in my PHD in Health Psychology degree work. My dissertation title was "A Resilient Warrior: Coping Positively with Combat Stress Exposure." I want to make this study available to you; most of the material on this website is derived from my journey in learning how and why the participants in the study coped positively with combat stress exposure. Even though the study's participants were United States Marines I believe the application of warrior resiliency can be transferred and inferred to all service and family members. I believe a warrior can be anyone fighting for good whether in military combat or combatting a disease, disorder or other life challenge.
Resilient Warrior study Abstract
The purpose of the resilient warrior study was to explore and examine coping with combat stress exposure (CSE) in a homogeneous group of 132 U.S. Marines who served in Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) or Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and who self-reported that they were coping positively. A mixed methods concurrent triangulation strategy was employed with positive psychology as the quantitative theoretical base and Husserlian transcendental phenomenology as the qualitative conceptual framework. Quantitatively, hardiness, hope, social support, personality (BIG-5), and coping strategies were assessed in the participants to examine how these variables moderate or mediate the relationship between combat stress exposure and subjective well-being. Five hypotheses were tested using the one sample t test, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. It was found that Marines with higher subjective well-being were generally hardy, very hopeful, less neurotic and more extraverted; they used adaptive coping strategies, and coped best with positive social support. Thirteen volunteers from the larger sample were interviewed yielding qualitative data concerning how and why they coped positively. Seven themes emerged using an inductive and descriptive coding method. The themes were: (a) emotionality, (b) moral dilemma/injury, (c) self-awareness, (d) training, (e) job, (f) shared experience, and (g) social support. The negative effects of war can be economically, physically, and psychologically devastating to individuals, families, institutions, and society. Learning more about coping positively with combat stress exposure can enable the U.S. military to foster positive social change by mitigating the negative effects of stress, reducing medical treatment costs, strengthening warriors to be fit to fight, and ensuring that military service personnel return to society as better citizens.
A Resilient Warrior is...
In the context of the resilient warrior study a Marine ages 20-52 with an average age of 30 who served on active duty on average for 10 years with some Marines still serving in their first enlistment and one who had served 30 years. Half of the Marines in the study deployed either to OEF or OIF with 47% participating in both operations. The average number of deployments for these Marines was 2.43 with a few deploying as many as six times. All the participants were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon.
While deployed a resilient warrior depended on his or her training to help fight better and cope with CSE. A resilient warrior relied on each other for support during and after combat; along with the warrior’s family and friends back home. A resilient warrior is generally proactive, sociable, and willing to seek help when needed. Being connected to others through social support was essential for these resilient warriors to cope positively with the effects of combat.
Furthermore, the shared experience of combat with fellow Marines inspired the warrior in battle; they fought for each other, side by side. The death of a fellow Marine was distressing to the resilient warrior but motivated them to fight harder, and to be a better person in order to honor the sacrifice of their comrade and the families left to grieve the loss of a loved one. Serving with other warriors helped give positive meaning to the combat experience. This shared experience enabled positive reframing after combat and enabled acceptance of the reality of war. A resilient warrior understands what they did in combat was their job in the profession of arms in service to their country. Doing their job created a sense of pride, duty, and professional satisfaction.
A resilient warrior is generally hardy. A hardy warrior has the ability to control or influence stressful events, the ability to have a deep sense of commitment to life, and the acceptance of change as challenging and good. A resilient warrior is hopeful and they tend to be optimistically upbeat. Because they are hopeful they have the ability to make future plans, marshal the resources to reach their goals, and the motivation to achieve these goals even when adverse events interrupt their flow in life.
Finally, a resilient warrior’s personality based on the Five Factor Model or BIG-5 is lower in neuroticism, average or higher in extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness which enabled them to cope positively with stress. Extraversion helped them relate positively to others; agreeableness helped them to get along with others. Being agreeable meant a resilient warrior tends to be altruistic, sympathetic, and empathetic. A resilient warrior is very conscientious about being a Marine. Being conscientious means potential stronger character, self-control, and driven to succeed or achieve the mission. A resilient warrior is more likely to use adaptive coping strategies and fewer less-adaptive coping strategies. A resilient warrior faces adverse life events with existential courage; they may have TBI, PTSD, or a moral injury but they are adaptive and able to rebound, recover even when life has reconfigured them by the wounds of war—they are resilient warriors—they are United States Marines.