Validation of scales from the Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory in a sample of Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans

The Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory (DRRI) is a suite of scales that can be used to assess deployment-related factors implicated in the health and well-being of military veterans. Although initial evidence for the reliability and validity of DRRI scales based on Gulf War veteran samples is encouraging, evidence with respect to a more contemporary cohort of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans is not available. Therefore, the primary goal of the present study was to validate scales from the DRRI in a large sample of OIF army personnel diversified in occupational and demographic characteristics. In general, results supported the use of these DRRI scales in this population. Internal consistency reliability estimates were quite strong. Additionally, support was obtained for criterion-related validity, as demonstrated by associations with mental and physical health measures, and discriminative validity, as demonstrated by differences between key military subgroups.