| This dissertation presents case studies of two veterans of Operation Iraqi or Enduring Freedom, aimed toward pinpointing personal qualities and characteristics of psychological resilience specific to a post-9/11/2001 veteran population while determining the usefulness of a military assessment battery containing both objective and projective assessment measures. Participants were recruited through informal networking procedures and flyers posted in select Chicago-area universities. Data was collected through the administration of a brief demographic questionnaire, the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), the Rorschach inkblot test, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Analysis of data was conducted in a traditional, integrative protocol format using Morey's (1991) interpretive PAI manual, Exner's (2000) Rorschach manual, and Connor and Davidson's (2012) interpretive manual with an emphasis on CD-RISC item analysis. Results suggested that effectiveness in interpersonal relationships, the ability and willingness to engage in self-reflection, capacity to manage responses to stress, careful consideration and integration of past experiences into decision-making processes, and positive self-worth may be important characteristics of resilience or post-deployment adaptation within this population. While a sample size of two cannot definitively provide a profile of resilience nor identify this exact testing battery as useful for this population, this research was able to demonstrate the benefit of including projective data to support or contest data collected via self-report measures. Continuing research in the area of assessment of resilience within military populations will serve to better define this construct in this specific population, while contributing to existing preventative care efforts. |
