Personal growth: A phenomenological study of experiences of prior-service members returning to civilian life

The phenomenological, qualitative study was designed to understand the personal growth experience of service members who returned to civilian life. Twenty-four individual, conversational interviews were conducted with semi-structured questions about how personal growth was experienced by prior-service members. Participants shared personal stories of overcoming adversity, hardship, and life-changing events associated with personal growth. A sense of connection and a sense of control were two significant aspects of personal growth that surfaced from participant's expressions, perceptions, and reactions associated with adversity. Understanding how prior-service members experience personal growth in the face of adversity could lead to reduced demand on health care facilities, increased awareness of overcoming adversity, and bridged relationships between civilian leaders and prior-service members in the civilian workforce. Through studies of personal growth, researchers continue to illuminate the personal growth experience as a well-understood attainment rather than a rare and misunderstood phenomenon.