After the Final Salute: A Qualitative Study of Coping among Military Retirees

Authors

  • Laiba Zaki BS Psychology Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Ayesha Nayyar Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Hamna Shakeel BS Psychology Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  • Maheen Amjad BS Psychology Student, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-vii.334

Keywords:

Military Retirement, Coping Mechanisms, Psychological Adaptation, Family Support, Religious Coping, Social Support, Reflexive Thematic Analysis, Pakistan

Abstract

The transition from military service to post-retirement life represents a profound psychosocial disruption characterized by the loss of institutional structure, occupational identity, and collective networks. Grounded in the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping and the Conservation of Resources Theory, this qualitative study critically explored the coping mechanisms utilized by Pakistani military retirees and examined the personal, relational, and structural conditions governing their effectiveness. A qualitative research design was employed with 15 military retirees (N = 15; male, n = 11; female, n = 4; aged 50–65 years) recruited through purposive and snowball sampling. Participants were first screened for clinical distress using the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) before participating in semi-structured in-depth interviews guided by the methodological framework of Kallio et al. (2016). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed that coping was not an isolated individual attribute, but a context dependent process shaped by five overarching themes: active reconstruction of routine and purpose; religious coping and acceptance; planning and problem-focused coping; family and peer support; and avoidance, minimization, and restricted help-seeking. Although rebuilding structured daily routines, practicing spiritual coping, proactive planning, and relying on family and peer networks facilitated positive psychological adaptation, military-ingrained emotional stoicism, denial, and distraction frequently impeded formal help-seeking.

Author Biography

  • Ayesha Nayyar, Lecturer, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Air University, Islamabad, Pakistan.

    Corresponding Author: [email protected]

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Published

2026-08-18

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 7 (2026): Issue 6 (July Issue)

Section

Articles

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Zaki, L., Nayyar, A., Shakeel, H., & Amjad, M. (2026). After the Final Salute: A Qualitative Study of Coping among Military Retirees. The Regional Tribune, 5(7), 14-28. https://doi.org/10.55737/trt/v-vii.334