Seattle aP cific nivU ersity Digital Commons @ SPU Clinical Psychology Dissertations Psychology, Family, and Community, School of Spring June 7th, 2016 Ecosystemic Effects of Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members and Veterans Jessica A. Carlile Seattle Pacific nU iversity Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.spu.edu/cpy_etd Part of the Clinical Psychology Commons Recommended Citation Carlile, Jessica A., "Ecosystemic Effects of Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members and Veterans" (2016). Clinical Psychology Dissertations. 18. https://digitalcommons.spu.edu/cpy_etd/18 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Psychology, Family, and Community, School of at Digital Commons @ SPU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Clinical Psychology Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ SPU. Ecosystemic Effects of Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members and Veterans Jessica A. Carlile A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy In Clinical Psychology Seattle Pacific University School of Psychology, Family, and Community June 2016 Approved by: Reviewed by: John W. Thoburn, Ph.D. David G. Stewart, Ph.D. Professor of Clinical Psychology Chair, Department of Clinical Dissertation Chair Psychology David G. Stewart, Ph.D. Mícheál D. Roe, Ph.D. Professor of Clinical Psychology Dean, School of Psychology, Family Committee Member & Community Margaret Brown, Ph.D. Professor of Psychology Committee Member MST IN MALE SERVICE MEMBERS ii Acknowledgments and Dedication I express my profound gratitude to the participants of this study; of course, without them, this project would not be possible. Through sharing their experiences with the goal of helping others, each participant demonstrated the valor and selflessness that prompted them to join the United States Armed Forces. Second, I extend my deepest appreciation to my mentor, Dr. John Thoburn. His wisdom, ethos, dedication, compassion, and humor exemplify what it means to be a Clinical Psychologist; I have been privileged to learn from the best. I further extend my thanks to my dissertation committee, Drs. David Stewart and Margaret Brown, for offering their invaluable insight and direction in my dissertation endeavors. And finally, I acknowledge Nicholas Moczarny and my unfathomably supportive and inspiring family—Jeff, Linda, and Lindsay Carlile—who have been by my side throughout this journey. I dedicate this project to you. MST IN MALE SERVICE MEMBERS iii Table of Contents Acknowledgments and Dedication ................................................................................................. ii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. v List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... vii CHAPTER I .................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction and Review of Literature ............................................................................................ 1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Sexual Violence .......................................................................................................................... 2 Prevalence of sexual violence ................................................................................................. 3 Sexual Violence in Males ........................................................................................................... 5 Misconceptions surrounding male sexual violence ................................................................ 5 Effects of sexual violence in males ......................................................................................... 6 The Military System as Related to MST ..................................................................................... 8 Reasons for enlisting ............................................................................................................... 9 Characteristics of military culture relevant to MST ............................................................. 10 Traits of enlisted service members relevant to MST ............................................................ 11 Military culture and sexual violence ..................................................................................... 12 Military Sexual Trauma ............................................................................................................ 14 MST in females ..................................................................................................................... 14 MST in males ........................................................................................................................ 15 Psychological factors associated with male MST ............................................................. 19 Physical factors associated with male MST ...................................................................... 21 Interpersonal factors associated with male MST .............................................................. 22 Systems Perspective .................................................................................................................. 23 Bronfenbrenner’s ecological approach ................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER II ................................................................................................................................. 26 Method .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Research Design Rationale ....................................................................................................... 26 Qualitative Methodology .......................................................................................................... 27 Social constructivism ............................................................................................................ 28 Narrative inquiry methodology ............................................................................................. 29 Order and meaning ............................................................................................................ 30 Psychometric properties .................................................................................................... 31 Participants ............................................................................................................................ 32 Procedure .............................................................................................................................. 33 Interviews .......................................................................................................................... 33 Analysis............................................................................................................................. 35 CHAPTER III ............................................................................................................................... 38 Results ........................................................................................................................................... 38 Demographic Information ......................................................................................................... 38 Data Analysis Review ............................................................................................................... 40 MST IN MALE SERVICE MEMBERS iv Conceptual Development .......................................................................................................... 43 MST events ........................................................................................................................... 43 Sexually violent acts ......................................................................................................... 43 Perpetrators ....................................................................................................................... 45 Intrapersonal effects attributed to MST ................................................................................ 47 Externalization .................................................................................................................. 48 Internalization ................................................................................................................... 51 Physical ............................................................................................................................. 54 Recovery ........................................................................................................................... 55 Interpersonal effects attributed to MST ................................................................................ 57 Perpetrators ....................................................................................................................... 57 Family ..............................................................................................................................