Article Critique: Psychologist Veteran Status as a Predictor of Veterans’ Willingness to
Engage in Psychotherapy
Article Summary
In this article, Yeterian and Dutra (2023) examine whether veteran status and gender
impact their willingness to engage in psychotherapy, a treatment that helps individuals with
various mental conditions. To collect demographic information, participants completed a
demographic and military service questionnaire. Researchers used four different vignettes about
the psychologists' background, veteran status, and gender to gauge the participants' willingness
to engage in psychotherapy with said psychologists. After reading the four versions of the
vignettes, participants used a Likert scale to rate whether they would see a veteran or a civilian
therapist. The study concluded that the veteran status impacted the participants' willingness to
see the psychologist because they could empathize and relate to their experiences.
Interdisciplinary Focus
The discipline represented in the study is social psychology. In this study, numerous
disciplinary insights highlight a social psychologist perspective, such as the researcher stating
that "findings from social psychology suggest that individuals tend to prefer similar others"
(Yeterian & Dutra, 2023). The study highlights a correlation between veterans caring for one
another, peer support programs, veterans identifying with one another, and various social
interactions between veterans (Yeterian & Dutra, 2023). In this study, researchers do not
explicitly state the disciplinary theory being studied or researched. However, based on the
disciplinary insights provided by researchers, it is evident that researchers are using the
theoretical framework for similarity-attraction. Similarity-attraction theory is “the individual
tendency to value or prefer self-similar others” (Byrne, 1961). This theory supports the premise
that veterans tend to view other veterans as a source of support because of their similar veteran
status.
The study has very little disciplinary jargon, which includes the “dimension of similarity
is salient" (Yeterian & Dutra, 2023). There is implicit bias evident in the study, where the
researcher leverages the similarity-attraction theory to make several simple hypotheses. For
example, there are multiple instances where the researcher explicitly suggests the undeniable
impact of veteran status on veterans' willingness to engage in psychotherapy. This article study
relates to the proposed research topic of understanding the mental health stigmas on veterans
with PTSD seeking mental health treatment. In particular, this article will assist with
understanding the factors that increase veterans’ willingness to select a certain psychologist to
assist with their mental health concerns.
Integration of Biblical Principles
In research, biblical integration helps researchers apply biblical truth to various aspects of
a research study. For most research studies, there is a biblical truth behind every component, in
which the research shares how the topic reveals the nature of God or its purpose. Regarding the
current article study, the similarity-attraction theory is equivalent to being equally yoked or like-
minded. For example, in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, the Bible states, "Be ye not unequally yoked
together with unbelievers: For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" (King
James Bible, 1769/2017). This biblical verse describes the relationship one veteran can share
with another veteran, sharing similar lived experiences, values, and goals, inadvertently
affirming one another's identity.
In Philippians 2:2, God tasks his children to complete his joy by being like-minded and
one in spirit and mind (King James Bible, 1769/2017). In the verse, the Bible discusses being
like-minded with Jesus, but the same concepts of morality and compassion apply to those one
deems like them. Another biblical perspective that one can apply to the current article study
focuses primarily on mental health. In 1 Peter 5:7, the Bible states, "Cast all your anxiety on him
because he cares for you" (King James Bible, 1769/2017). God is close to those suffering, and
His word promises that those suffering will find peace in Him. Instead of condemning veterans
suffering from mental health issues or experiencing a mental health crisis, Christians must show
kindness and love towards these veterans to help them as they trust in God to resolve their
mental health issues.
Similar to the proposed research topic, the same biblical integration perspectives apply. In
understanding the mental health stigmas on veterans with PTSD seeking mental health treatment,
the concept of being equally yoked, like-minded, and compassionate will lend itself to an explicit
biblical integration.
References
Byrne, D. (1961). Interpersonal attraction and attitude similarity. Journal of Abnormal and
Social Psychology, 62: pp. 713–715.
King James Bible. (2017). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1769)
Kuwabara, Cao, J., Cho, S., & Ingram, P. (2023). Lay Theories of Instrumental Relations:
Explaining Individual Differences in Dispositional Similarity-Attraction. The Academy
of Management Journal., 66(2), 667–687. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2020.0770
Yeterian, J. D., & Dutra, S. J. (2022). Psychologist veteran status as a predictor of veterans’
willingness to engage in psychotherapy. Military Psychology, 35(1), 50–57.
https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2066937
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