Student Veteran perceptions of facilitators and barriers to achieving academic goals

• Published in: Journal of rehabilitation research and development Vol. 52; no. 6; pp. 701 - 712
• Main Authors: Norman, Sonya B, Rosen, Jay, Himmerich, Sara, Myers, Ursula S, Davis, Brittany, Browne, Kendall C, Piland, Neill
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Department of Veterans Affairs 01.01.2015; Superintendent of Documents
• Subjects: College campuses; Consumer Behavior; Demographic aspects; Drive; Drug use; Education; Education - economics; Education - legislation & jurisprudence; Educational Status; Female; Funding; Goals; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Male; Mental disorders; Mental health care; Organizational Policy; Perceptions; Post-traumatic stress disorder; R&D; Research & development; Risk factors; Schools - organization & administration; Self Efficacy; Self Report; Social support; Success; Suicides & suicide attempts; Traumatic brain injury; United States; United States Department of Veterans Affairs - organization & administration; United States Department of Veterans Affairs - standards; Veterans; Veterans - legislation & jurisprudence; Veterans - psychology; United States; California; OEF; Veterans; student; mental health; GI bill; military; reintegration; OIF; interviews; posttraumatic stress disorder
• ISSN: 0748-7711; 1938-1352
• DOI: 10.1682/JRRD.2015.01.0013

According to recent estimates, over 1 million Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom (OIF/OEF) Veterans are utilizing the post-9/11 GI Bill to pursue higher education. Data collected by the Department of Defense suggests that greater than 17% of returning Veterans may suffer from mental and physical health disorders, which can negatively affect school performance. The current study explored student Veterans' perceived facilitators and barriers to achieving academic goals. Thirty-one student Veterans completed self-report measures and interviews. Results suggested that Veterans that were reporting problems or symptoms in one mental or physical health domain were likely to be reporting symptoms or problems in others as well. The interview data were coded, and three overarching themes related to barriers and facilitators emerged: person features (e.g., discipline and determination, symptoms and stressors), institutional structure (i.e., what schools and the Department of Veterans Affairs do that was perceived to help or hinder student Veteran success), and policy concerns (i.e., how the structure of the GI Bill affects student Veteran school experience). Results from this research indicate the need for larger studies and program development efforts aimed at enhancing academic outcomes for Veterans.