Review
The impact of sport and physical activity on the well-being of combat veterans: A systematic review

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2013.09.011Get rights and content

Highlights

  • We systematically review literature on sport and physical activity in combat veterans.

  • Sport and physical activity impacts the subjective and psychological well-being of combat veterans.

  • We critically discuss the use of sport and physical activity to promote well-being in veterans.

  • Suggestions are offered for future research in this area.

Abstract

Objectives

This review examined the potential impact of sport and physical activity upon the subjective and psychological well-being of combat veterans in the aftermath of physical or psychological combat trauma.

Design

A systematic review was conducted. The question guiding this review was ‘what is the impact of sport and physical activity on the well-being of combat veterans?’

Methods

Key databases were searched for articles relating to the use of sport and/or physical activity in supporting combat veterans. 11 studies were identified as relevant for inclusion. Data from these studies were extracted by means of a directed content analysis, the results of which were reported in a narrative synthesis.

Results

Sport and physical activity enhances subjective well-being in veterans through active coping and doing things again, PTSD symptom reduction, positive affective experience, activity in nature/ecotherapy, and quality of life. Impact on psychological well-being includes determination and inner strength, focus on ability and broadening of horizons, identity and self-concept, activity in nature/ecotherapy, sense of achievement/accomplishment, and social well-being. Participating in sport and/or physical activity can also enhance motivation for living.

Conclusions

The review advances knowledge by producing a synthesis of evidence that highlights the value of sport and physical activity for supporting the well-being and rehabilitation of disabled combat veterans and combat veterans diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. It also develops knowledge by identifying the type of sports and physical activities used to promote well-being, offering the first definition of combat veterans in the sport literature, taking a critical approach, and highlighting the under researched role of nature-based physical activity.

Section snippets

Focus of the review: well-being

Well-being is important to focus on since it is a key indicator of psychological functioning and positive human health (Ryan & Deci, 2001). There are two kinds of well-being associated with the literature on positive human health. The first is termed Subjective Well-Being (SWB). SWB is purportedly comprised of a person's subjectively perceived satisfaction with their life and the balance of positive and negative emotions they feel. As Diener (2000) suggests, the experience of SWB is

Search strategy

Key databases were searched including SPORTDiscus, PsychARTICLES, PsychINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline. These databases are similar to those used for other systematic reviews in sport and exercise (e.g., Jefferies et al., 2012, Swann et al., 2012). The primary search was supplemented by hand searching of relevant journals, citation searching of all articles accepted at abstract, and by contacting lead authors in the field in order to identify articles that may not have been indexed in

Results

Following the process of gathering and analysing the literature, it was found that the majority of findings (except for the additional category of motivation) fell into the domain of either subjective or psychological well-being. Accordingly, study findings are presented and reviewed below under the two broad categories of SWB and PWB. That said, it is acknowledged that there is likely to be overlap between these two categories, with well-being in one domain affecting well-being in the other.

Discussion

This review evaluated the impact of different sports and physical activities upon the subjective and psychological well-being of disabled combat veterans and veterans diagnosed with PTSD. Findings from the 11 studies reviewed revealed that participating in these various activities can have a positive influence on many facets of life related to both SWB and PWB in veterans. That is, sport and/or physical activity has the potential not only to provide enjoyable and pleasurable experiences for

Conclusion

This review provides the first synthesis of empirical evidence on the impact of sport and physical activity upon the well-being of combat veterans. As such, it offers a key resource for evidence based practice and for informing policy and decision making in this area (Grant & Booth, 2009). Findings identified multiple positive affects upon the subjective and psychological well-being of combat veterans, as well as on motivation. We also identified several areas of caution that researchers and

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