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<p><bold>Abstract</bold></p><p>More than 300,000 soldiers have returned from Southwest
Asia (i.e., Iraq and Afghanistan) with combat-related mild traumatic brain injuries
(mTBIs) associated with exposure to improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Despite less
visible physical injuries, these soldiers demonstrate varying levels of physical and
cognitive symptoms that impact their post-mTBI family reintegration. The existing
literature acknowledges post-mTBI changes in the injured individual affect family
functioning; however, post-injury family functioning, such as coping and adaptation,
has not been explored. The intent of this dissertation is to explore the problems
and challenges of military family reintegration following mTBI.</p><p>Nine soldiers
with mTBI and their spouses participated for a total of 27 interviews. Both joint
and separate individual interviews were conducted to explore their post-mTBI family
reintegration experiences. Participants included active duty soldiers with mTBI who
were between 2 and 24 months post-deployment and their civilian spouses. Strauss and
Corbin's grounded theory methodology was used to collect and analyze the data. This
dissertation study consists of three papers, each of which explored experiences that
surround family reintegration following mTBI.</p><p>The first paper is a comprehensive
literature review, examining commonly reported mTBI signs/symptoms, and the impact
of these symptoms on the injured individuals and their families. The findings also
suggest that psychological distress symptoms such as depression and anxiety are common
in injured individuals and their</p><p>families after mTBI. The second paper explores
the family reintegration processes of post-mTBI soldiers and their spouses. The majority
of participants interviewed, both soldiers and their spouses, indicated that symptoms
such as irritability, memory loss, and cognitive deficit affected their family reintegration.
Some participants reported they had accepted the changes and were working toward a
new normal, whereas others indicated these changes were unacceptable and continued
their efforts to resume pre-injury functioning.</p><p>The third paper examined the
experiences of soldiers and their spouses about seeking treatment for mTBI-related
symptoms. The majority of interviewed soldiers and their spouses indicated that a
delayed diagnosis, difficulty accessing mental health care, and having to navigate
an unfamiliar military healthcare system were their biggest challenges. Post-mTBI
soldiers experienced significant disruption due to mismatched expectations among themselves
and other family members concerning their post-injury capabilities. More research
is needed in order to develop effective post-injury rehabilitation programs for soldiers
with mTBI and their families.</p>
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