- Title
- Navigating the military-civilian transition: recollections of adults who were children and young people when their parents left the Australian Defence Force
- Creator
- Wells, Hannah Rose
- Relation
- University of Newcastle Research Higher Degree Thesis
- Resource Type
- thesis
- Date
- 2023
- Description
- Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Description
- Each year, around 5,500 Australian Defence Force personnel transition from military to civilian life in a process known as the military-civilian transition. While many military families make a smooth transition, some experience psychosocial stressors that pose risks to their mental health and wellbeing. To date, research has tended to focus on the transition experiences of previously serving men and women. Few studies have examined the experiences of their children. Furthermore, existing studies have largely involved secondary accounts by adult family members rather than on the perspectives of children and young people themselves. Understanding the challenges and opportunities the military-civilian transition poses for children and young people is crucial if we are to develop effective interventions to meet their needs in the future. This PhD research aimed to investigate how children and young people experience, perceive, and make sense of the transition from military to civilian life when their parents leave the defence force, as well as the social and cultural resources, forms of capital, strengths, and practical strategies they draw on when navigating this critical life transition. An exploratory qualitative methodology grounded in interpretive and critical constructivist paradigms was employed. Retrospective data were collected via in-depth, narrative-style interviews with 10 participants who were aged between 5 and 25 at the time their parents left the Australian Defence Force, and 18 years or over at the time they were interviewed. This qualitative and narrative-style approach enabled reflexivity by the researcher and foregrounded the voices and perspectives of participants as experts in their own lives. Data were analysed thematically and interpreted through the lens of Bourdieu’s theoretical concepts of habitus, field, and capital. Findings revealed that children and young people face a range of highly complex and multilayered experiences when their parents leave the defence force, including difficulties identifying with, and assimilating into, civilian life. These challenges were attributed to the different value military and civilian ‘worlds’ place on distinct forms of social and cultural capital. Findings also suggested that the differences between military and civilian life can exacerbate psychosocial challenges commonly experienced within and outside the family unit, such as mental health problems, disrupted family dynamics, and a range of social and academic issues. Compounding these issues is a lack of support for children and young people during the military-civilian transition and poor uptake of existing civilian services due to entrenched stigma around mental health and help-seeking behaviours. As the first in-depth, qualitative exploration of the military-civilian transition focussed exclusively on children and young people in Australia, this study extends current research on the experiences of veteran families. Critically, it gives voice to individuals who are part of these families, foregrounding their recollections of the military-civilian transition as children and young people, as well as their support needs, strengths, and adaptive qualities. Findings from this research highlight the need for improved military-cultural competence among public health professionals, teachers, and the broader civilian society in Australia. They point towards the importance of developing supports that consider and address the distinct, multilevel impacts on children and young people when their families leave the defence force. Ultimately, this study offers a strong foundation on which to base future investigations of children and young people and the military-civilian transition.
- Subject
- military-civilian; children; young people; Australian Defence Force
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1471840
- Identifier
- uon:48731
- Language
- eng
- Full Text
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| Thumbnail | File | Description | Size | Format | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT01 | Thesis | 4 MB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download | ||
| View Details Download | ATTACHMENT02 | Abstract | 307 KB | Adobe Acrobat PDF | View Details Download |