Discharge, But No Exit: An Existential Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis of Veteran Reintegration

Ongoing campaigns in support of the Global War on Terrorism have created an influx of veterans attempting to reintegrate into civilian society. While some veterans reintegrate easily, others continue to struggle. An increasing number of studies have begun to take a more holistic approach to understanding the root causes of the distress observed in reintegrating veterans. The objective of this study was to utilise the existential framework as conceptualised by Irvin Yalom to generate a deeper understanding of the underlying factors contributing to the struggles that veterans experience in their return to society. A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) approach was used to hear the combined voices of a selection of veterans from the USA and UK. A directed content analysis was used in conjunction with the QIMS methodology to categorise novel constructs in the context of existential ultimate concerns resulting in nine new themes: loss of identity, fear of death, loss of control, reliance on authority, feelings of alienation, self-isolation, resentment towards civilians, loss of collective sense of duty and loss of purpose. Findings enhance the understanding of conflicting values and beliefs underlying reintegration problems, informing future social work practice and research.