Women Veterans' definitions of peer support: A qualitative description analysis

Abstract: This study examines peer support among women who served in the U.S. military. Women Veterans reported peer support to be helpful for mental health and well-being by meeting social, emotional, and concrete needs. Participants found peer support to be acceptable, non-clinical, and non-stigmatizing. Critical elements of peer support included a safe environment, someone to listen to and validate them, and the shared experience of serving as women in the military. Peer support was particularly helpful for discussing sexism, sexual assault, and trauma. Mental health providers should understand the importance of peer support for women Veterans and how it is a distinct and complementary service to clinical treatment. Peer support programs can help ensure women Veterans' needs are considered in service delivery. Introduction: Women are the fastest-growing subpopulation of U.S. military Veterans, yet their voices have rarely been used to explore peer support among Veterans. This study defines Veteran peer support from the perspective of women Veterans and aims to increase providers' awareness of the value of peer support for improving Veteran mental health. Methods: Data were drawn from a multi-site evaluation of Veteran peer programs. Transcripts from semi-structured interviews with women Veterans (N = 25) were selected and analyzed. Guided by a qualitative description approach, the researchers used in vivo coding to capture common descriptive language used by the Veterans. Themes were drawn by the primary researcher and audited by a second researcher to increase the findings' trustworthiness. Results: Women Veterans described peer support as a relationship between Veterans based on shared military experience, an understanding of military culture, and similar life challenges. Emerging themes regarding peer support included viewing peers as genuine, trustworthy friends, empathizing over shared struggles, cultivating a safe, non-judgmental, egalitarian space to discuss sensitive topics, using a non-stigmatizing, non-clinical approach, and being a source of fun and social connection. Discussion: Participants provided evidence that peer support is a meaningful, authentic, and accessible means of exchanging emotional and concrete assistance for women Veterans. Mental health providers and program developers working with women Veterans need to understand the importance of peer support in complementing therapy and how it can be essential for women Veterans to discuss sensitive topics such as sexual assault or harassment they experienced in the military. Introduction : Les femmes constituent la sous-population de veteran(e)s des forces militaires etatsuniennes a la croissance la plus rapide, mais leurs voix sont rarement utilisees pour explorer le soutien par les pairs entre veteran(e)s. Cette etude definit le soutien par les pairs entre veteran(e)s du point de vue des femmes et vise a sensibiliser les fournisseurs de soins a sa valeur pour ameliorer la sante mentale des veteranes. Methode : Les donnees sont tirees d'une evaluation multisite des programmes de soutien par les pairs pour veteran(e)s. Les transcriptions d'entrevues semi-structurees avec des veteranes (n = 25) ont ete selectionnees et analysees. Avec une approche de description qualitative, l'equipe de recherche a utilise le codage en direct pour saisir le langage descriptif commun aux veteranes. Les themes ont ete extraits par la chercheuse principale et verifies par un deuxieme chercheur afin d'accroitre la fiabilite des resultats. Resultats : Les veteranes decrivent le soutien par les pairs comme une relation entre veteranes fondee sur l'experience militaire commune, la comprehension de la culture militaire et des defis de vie semblables. Les themes qui emergent dans ce contexte sont : l'amitie authentique et la confiance entre pairs ; l'empathie devant des luttes communes ; la preservation d'un espace sur, egalitaire et sans jugement ou discuter de sujets sensibles ; l'approche non clinique et non stigmatisante ; le plaisir et les liens sociaux. Interpretation : Les participantes montrent que le soutien par les pairs est un moyen efficace, authentique et accessible d'echanger de l'aide emotionnelle et concrete pour les veteranes. Les fournisseurs de soins et les concepteurs de programmes en sante mentale doivent comprendre l'importance du soutien par les pairs, comme complement a la therapie et comme moyen essentiel de discuter de sujets delicats comme les agressions sexuelles ou le harcelement subi dans les forces armees.