Service-Connected Disability: Belongingness, Access, and Quality of Life for Student Veterans

This study provides a deeper understanding of the experiences of student veterans with disabilities through examination of type and severity of service-connected disability and impacts on transition to higher education. Through quantitative survey research ( n= 328 respondents) at a medium sized regional research university in the West, we investigated the role of injury type and visibility as it relates to sense of belongingness on campus, impacts on quality of life, and perceptions of university disability services. Students with invisible disabilities reported stronger impacts of their injuries on belongingness and quality of life, and a significant proportion of students (46%) reported their injuries as severe and worsening over time. Student veterans with posttraumatic stress (PTS) or sensory injuries had higher odds of reporting their experiences with university disability services as "helpful." Comparatively, student veterans with physical injuries or traumatic brain injury (TBI) had lower odds of finding disability services helpful. Through exploring relationships between injury severity, type, and perception of injuries, we provide insight into disability services delivery and belongingness for student veterans on campus.