Post-deployment reintegration: Describing, understanding, and predicting deployment-related psychosocial risks and benefits

The last decades were marked by a rise in the deployment of soldiers to foreign host countries. During the post-deployment phase, employees face several sources of reintegration-related challenges that can affect their ability to perform, but also their motivation and well-being. In this project, we are looking into how the post-deployment reintegration process takes place for military service members. In our initial work package, a systematic review of 104 studies revealed significant gaps in research practices. Researchers often investigate only one dimension of reintegration at a time, neglecting the professional dimension, treating reintegration as an outcome rather than a process, and overlooking positive outcomes. Despite this, the review emphasizes the multidimensional, dual, and dynamic nature of the reintegration process within a social-ecological framework. Second, a mixed design study (WP2, N=30), explored the experiences, perceptions, and needs of personnel returning from deployment with a specific focus on professional reintegration. Preliminary results underscored the significance of colleagues' and supervisors' interest and support, along with the influence of organisational culture. Building on the insights from the systematic review and the mixed design study, the third work package aims to conceptualize the reintegration process, define dimensional indicators, and explore possible outcomes. Additionally, this study seeks to validate the reintegration measurement tool and investigate the relationship between the reintegration process and various professional, health, and motivational outcomes for returning employees. The anticipated outcome is not only the development and testing of a comprehensive tool contributing to theoretical understanding but also the potential to influence practical efforts. These efforts are focused on maximizing employees' reintegration after deployment, enhancing motivation, and overall well-being in military service members.

The project HFM/19-02 is financed under the DFR call.