Navigating Barriers: A Grounded Theory of the Experiences of Canadian Armed Forces Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Abstract

This research project serves as an initial foray into the experiences Canadian Armed Forces veterans with PTSD. Several problems are identified with the current sociological and social scientific literature on military veterans, the foremost of which was a lack of Canadian data. This study was conducted using a grounded-theory approach; several interviews were conducted with Canadian Armed Forces veterans with PTSD living in Southern Ontario, in order to uncover themes and patterns of experience. Analysis of these interviews indicated that the experience of Canadian Armed Forces veterans with PTSD is patterned by encounters with barriers. Veterans perceive, negotiate, and navigate these barriers as they progress through the processes involved in having PTSD. Participants in this study also identified several navigational aids with regards to these barriers, the most prominent being that of social support, especially on the part of fellow veterans. This study provides several possible avenues of further research that are indicated by the analysis.