title: Soldiers returning from deployment: A qualitative study regarding exposure, coping, and reintegration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore exposure to deployment-related physical and/or emotional trauma and associated symptoms among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) soldiers. Interviews also focused on in-theater- and reintegration-related experiences.
  
  
  METHODS
  OEF/OIF soldiers (N = 103) participated in semistructured interviews, and a qualitative descriptive methodology was used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Themes were identified regarding (a) common experiences related to emotional and physical traumas and associated symptoms and strategies for coping and making meaning of experiences and (b) how combat and reintegration experiences affected soldiers' senses of self, relationships with others, and functioning.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Themes identified support a rethinking of deployment-related mild traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic stress disorder as discrete conditions. Dimensional versus categorical models should be considered. The findings also highlight experiences and potentially meaningful constructs (e.g., moral injury, moral repair) that can be used to inform research and clinical efforts aimed at improving the lives of those who have served.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.affiliation: Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Betthauser
authors.affiliation: Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Nazanin
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bahraini
authors.affiliation: Veterans Integrated Service Network 19 Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.
authors.forename: Jaimie L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Lusk
authors.affiliation: Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center.
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terrio
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Biostatistics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
authors.forename: Ann I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Scher
authors.affiliation: Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center.
authors.forename: Karen A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Schwab
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology