Abstract
A phenomenological study was conducted to explore the essence of the experience of military spouses living with veterans with combat-related Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Husserlian phenomenology was chosen as the theoretical framework because it allowed a deeper understanding of the unfolding o f the spouses' day-to-day experience. A purposive sample of 14 spouses living with veterans with symptoms of PTSD participated in unstructured interviews. Data were analyzed using a modification of Colaizzi's method. Four major themes were identified from data analysis: Recognizing Life is No Longer the Same, Living with Unpredictability, Bearing the Burden, and Creating a New Life. Spouses recognized that the veteran was no longer the same person, with life becoming one of living with the unpredictability of PTSD. The participants bore the burden to maintain normalcy in the family and eventually created a new life in which some remained in and others left the marriage.
Sigma Membership
Gamma Phi
Type
Dissertation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Phenomenology
Research Approach
Qualitative Research
Keywords:
Resilience, Marital Relationships, Traumatic Stress, Mental Health
Advisors
Johnson, Mary E.||Delaney, Kathleen R.||Hamilton, Rebekah||Miller, Arlene M.
Degree
PhD
Degree Grantor
Rush University
Degree Year
2015
Recommended Citation
Yambo, Teresa W., "A phenomenological exploration of the lived experience of military spouses of veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder" (2022). Dissertations. 503.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/dissertations/503
Rights Holder
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Review Type
None: Degree-based Submission
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2022-08-18
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
Description
This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3664641; ProQuest document ID: 1759269320. The author still retains copyright.