Conceptualizing Acceptance in Postdeployment Soldiers

While research on the role of acceptance in psychological well-being and treatment of posttraumatic distress is promising, significant challenges remain in developing a workable conceptualization of acceptance. The current study contributes to a more measureable and functional conceptualization of acceptance in postdeployment soldiers using a latent variable approach. Participants were a large sample of active duty service members who had recently returned from deployment (n = 1, 524). Exploratory factor analysis identified substantial common variance among several facets of acceptance-related measures, including nonjudgmental awareness, acceptance of internal experiences, and not using worry and experiential avoidance to control internal experiences. These results, confirmed with CFA, suggest that acceptance in postdeployment adjustment may be best conceptualized as a combination of awareness, nonjudgment of experience, and the tendency to refrain from using strategies such as worry to avoid feelings and emotions. Additionally, results of structural regression indicated that the latent variable of acceptance was negatively associated with measures of postdeployment maladjustment. These results are discussed in the context of current conceptualizations of acceptance and related constructs, and the burgeoning literature supporting the development and implementation of acceptance-based interventions for potentially traumatized populations.