Soldiers who are transitioning to civilian life have alarmingly high rates of suicide, alcohol abuse, and mental illness. There are multiple facets that may influence these poor outcomes for veterans. Organizational dissatisfaction is a risk factor for poor mental health and lack of access to mental health support for veterans, but this has yet to be studied in-depth. The aim of this project is to assess how demographic variables and organizational dynamics impact mental health during the transition process. First, we will use preliminary data from The Network Study, one of the first longitudinal studies to follow the mental health, alcohol use, and socioeconomic stressors of service members as they transition out of the Army. Multiple regression will be used to analyze the influence of interpersonal support and conflict within the Army on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Mental health symptoms were measured by the PHQ-9 and GAD-7, two common screening questionnaires used to briefly assess depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. We will additionally assess various demographic variables as moderators. Next, findings will be used to develop questions for qualitative interviews to be conducted with recent veterans. We predict there will be a positive association between organizational support and positive mental health outcomes, and qualitative interviews will show lower work-related stress and increased access to mental health supports as major themes for those with positive work relationships. In line with previous research, we predict these associations and themes will be strongest for women, racial and ethnic minorities, and those of lower rank. Support and intraunit conflict are potentially modifiable factors, so our research demonstrates a potential pathway for prevention of negative mental health outcomes for veterans.

Research in recent decades has highlighted the influence of descriptive and injunctive norms on young adult behavior in relation to alcohol and cannabis use. Simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use is when these two substances are used a way that their effects overlap. Rates of simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use are higher among young adults and use is associated with more negative outcomes compared to alcohol or cannabis alone. The relationship between norms and simultaneous use has been less examined, especially among higher-risk young adults (e.g., driving under the influence). Additionally, it is not fully understood why norms influence substance use behaviors for some individuals and not others. Past research has linked factors of impulsivity with higher rates of substance use, but how impulsivity may impact the relationship between norms and simultaneous use is not known. For this research I used data from a larger parent study that sampled high-risk young adults who reported both simultaneous alcohol and cannabis use and riding or driving under the influence in the past (6) months. I used moderated regression analyses to assess impulsivity as a moderator of descriptive and injunctive norms on substance use. I hypothesized that for young adults high in impulsivity the association between norms and substance use would be dampened. These findings may suggest interventions that utilize norms (e.g., normative feedback interventions) may be less effective for individuals who are higher on impulsivity factors and that other intervention approaches should be applied for these young adults.