Leaving the military can disrupt veterans’ sense of identity, particularly for those with service-related disabilities. Disabled veterans may feel alienated from both the civilian population and their military identity. Addressing identity struggles is crucial for the recovery and reintegration of injured veterans, as identity significantly influences psychological well-being

Participation in sports has proven beneficial for disabled veterans, aiding their successful reintegration into civilian life, boosting self-esteem, and fostering connections with fellow veterans. However, female veterans represent a minority demographic in the military, resulting in previous research and rehabilitation programs primarily targeting their male counterparts. Despite this, female veterans face higher rates of depression and anxiety, highlighting the growing need to better understand and address strategies that can enhance their mental health and well-being.

Therefore, this research aims to fill this gap in knowledge by exploring the lived experiences of female veterans who have acquired a disability and who participate in high level competitive sport. This research aims to give voice to an underrepresented population, providing insight into how competitive sports influence the sense of self and identity of female veterans with disabilities.

Participants will be eligible for this study if they meet the following criteria:

1) Are veterans of the British armed forces.

2) Females who sustained a psychological and/or physical disability during military service.

4) Have participated in at least one national or international elite sporting competition.

Would you be interested in taking part?

Participation in this study involves creating two social identity maps and taking part in a one-on-one interview with the researcher. Upon completing the social identity maps and the interview, participants will receive a £15 Amazon voucher as a token of appreciation for their time and effort. If you are interested in taking part or would like more information about this research, please email the researcher Anna Hendrick at hendria@hope.ac.uk

Who are we and what do we do?

The CMWR is a group of researchers at Anglia Ruskin University who are looking at the experience and impact of military life on women.

Our core mission is to inform and improve the wellbeing of women in the military and veteran community through world-leading collaborative research and co-production. We are carrying out several different research projects, from looking at the experiences of women in making service justice complaints, to reviewing help-seeking and support services for military women in the civilian world. You can find out more about what we do on our Projects page.

What do we mean by collaborative?

There has been considerable momentum in progressing the UK agenda in research and support for military women in recent years. We see collaboration across the sector as key to achieving our core mission and avoiding duplication of effort.

We would like to work with researchers, policy makers, support services and military women to ensure our work is collaborative and grounded in the experiences of the community. If you would like to speak to us about a potential project, please get in touch.

The CMWR also recognises the value and importance of the co-production of research, ensuring that research is undertaken with military women instead of for them. Find out more about our commitment to co-production.

Future blog posts will feature the work of people in the CMWR community, including researchers, military women and those supporting them. If you’d like to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.