ALIENATION AND SELF-ESTEEM AS FACTORS IN THE READJUSTMENT OF AFRO-AMERICAN VIETNAM COMBAT VETERANS.
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 287
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Mental Health.; Sociology, Ethnic and Racial Studies.
Description: This descriptive-correlational study was conducted to determine the interrelationships among alienation, self-esteem, combat duty in Vietnam, and veteran's age at the time of combat experience in a volunteer sample (N = 139) of: 42 Afro-American Vietnam combat veterans, 57 Afro-American Vietnam Era non-combat veterans, and 40 non-veterans who were draft-eligible during the Vietnam Era, 1964 through 1975. The latter two groups served as controls.

All subjects completed the three instruments of the study: (1) the appropriate Descriptive Data Instrument (DDI), (2) the Black Alienation Scale (BAS), and (3) the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Using correlational and multiple regression techniques, findings revealed that alienation as measured by the BAS was positively and significantly (p = $<$0.05) correlated with Vietnam combat experience. Scores on the BAS were not significantly (p = $<$0.10) correlated with the age of combat veterans at the time of service in Vietnam. Self-esteem as measured by scores on the RSES was not significantly (p = 0.10) correlated with combat experience. Scores of Afro-American Vietnam combat veterans on the RSES indicated that self-esteem was positively and significantly (p = $<$0.01) correlated with the age of the veteran at the time of Vietnam combat experience.

There was no significant (p = 0.11) negative correlation between alienation as measured by the BAS and self-esteem as measured by the RSES. Both veteran groups tended to have higher alienation scores on the BAS than did draft-eligible non-veterans of similar age. There was a significant difference (p = $<$0.05) in the group mean alienation scores of the three groups using one-way analysis of variance techniques. The RSES scores of Afro-American Vietnam combat veterans were not significantly (p = 0.23) different from those of the control groups. It was concluded that the degree of alienation and level of self-esteem of Afro-American Vietnam combat veterans was related to the veterans' subjective perceptions of their readjustment post-Vietnam combat experience as well as their life experiences since that time. It was recommended that psychiatric/mental health nurses, as facilitators, intervene at the community level to assist veterans in helping one another by sharing experiences and promoting an atmosphere of positiveness.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-06, Section: B, page: 2342.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1989.

School code: 0227.