National study of sleep health for student servicemembers/veterans.

Objective: Investigate sleep health for student servicemember/veterans (SSM/Vs). Method: Data from the National College Health Assessment was used, including 88,178 participants in 2018 and 67,972 in 2019. Propensity score matching was used to compare SSM/Vs (n = 2984) to their most similar non-SSM/V counterparts (n = 1,355). Responses were analyzed using a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Results: SSM/Vs reported significantly higher levels of some sleep health issues than the matched peer group, including more instances of trouble falling asleep, waking too early, and higher rates of insomnia and sleep disorders. However, SSM/Vs reported fewer days per week feeling sleepy and similar impacts of sleep issues on academics when compared to the peer group. Conclusion: Institutions of higher education should consider training faculty and staff to recognize impacts of poor sleep health for SSM/Vs to establish effective practices to support this unique population.

Examining mental health stigma in a first-year seminar for student veterans.

Objective: To examine perceptions of mental health stigma among first-year student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs). Participants: 107 SSM/Vs enrolled in a first-semester seminar completed a pre- and post-test measuring five constructs; 1) stigma toward mental health in the military, 2) academic readiness, 3) mental health stigma in college, 4) connection to campus, and 5) resiliency. Methods: Data were analyzed using paired samples t-tests to measure growth on the scales of interest, along with a multiple regression analysis to establish predictors of growth. Results: Stigma-Military and Connection to Campus increased while Stigma-College reduced (p<.05). For the regression analysis, statistically significant predictors of stigma include number of deployments and having served in a combat role (p<.05) Conclusions: Results suggest classroom interventions for SSM/Vs on campus may be related to reduced stigma toward mental health services. This study provides a starting point for expanding research on health and wellness curricular interventions for SSM/V.

Applying the social ecological framework to enhance wellness for student veterans.

ObjectiveTo increase campus-wide wellness for student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs), student services professionals, healthcare providers, and faculty collaborated to implement the Social Ecological Framework (SEF) over a three-year project.ParticipantsOne thousand six hundred and seventy eight SSM/Vs enrolled at a medium-sized doctoral granting institution with high-research activity (R2). SSM/Vs were directly and indirectly impacted through a series of initiatives, including stigma reduction efforts, wellness promotion, faculty training, therapeutic services, and peer-advising.MethodsData collection included student success measures such as retention, student satisfaction/feedback, peer-advising meetings, psychotherapy sessions, TBI screenings, and growth measures from a mental health stigma scale.ResultsA significant increase in therapy sessions conducted at the Wellness Center, increased faculty trainings, new and strengthened partnerships, and an increase in SSM/V retention.ConclusionsResults suggest that collaborative efforts applying the SEF can create improved educational conditions and outcomes for SSM/Vs. A review of SSM/V wellness literature and suggestions for other campuses are offered.