Mike LaRocca, a doctoral student in the clinical psychology at UA, is searching for about 100 more combat veterans of any age or service branch for a survey in support of his dissertation work.

LaRocca’s study is titled “The Impact of Posttraumatic Growth, Transformational Leadership, and Self-efficacy on Psychological Symptoms Among Combat Veterans.”

LaRocca is looking at whether transformational leadership during a veteran’s military service in combat affected their ability to make meaning of their experience. LaRocca is looking at whether the interaction can offer indicators of veterans’ long-term physical well-being. It’s an exploration of the veteran’s post-traumatic growth.

LaRocca used the example of assessments, such as personal growth or growth in relationships or spirituality.

“It is kind of a unique study because they are thinking back to the quality of the leadership they had in combat and how they are doing now,” LaRocca said.

LaRocca is looking at depression and post-traumatic stress on a continuum, noting, predictably, some veterans are more stress-hardy than others, as well as the variety of experiences in a combat theater.

“Suffice to say there is a lot of individual variations in combat experience … and how well they recover afterward,” LaRocca said.

The 36-year-old was inspired by his own combat experiences in 2003 in Iraq, where his commander was killed in an improvised explosive device attack, and his introduction to the concept of transformational leadership while completing his master’s degree in clinical psychology at Pepperdine University.

“While I was deployed, I witnessed the insidiousness of psychological distress in combat and how devastating that can be. I also realized the power of empathy and understanding of those who just who want to talk,” LaRocca said.

LaRocca was introduced to the idea of transformational leadership during academic leadership studies in Pepperdine’s business college.

“I think when you look at some of the dimensions of transformational leadership … It is a very nurturing kind of leadership. It tends to cause people to be more inspired to do well. They have a kind of emotional buy-in for the organization,” LaRocca said.

While there have been studies that found correlations between the effects of higher-quality leadership and lower post-traumatic stress in veterans, the research had not specifically focused on transformational leadership, which is commonly associated with business psychology.

“I would like to merge these two foundations,” LaRocca said.

LaRocca has about 30 participants so far, including World War II, Korean conflict and Vietnam War veterans, since launching the survey. The search began with veterans on campus, but recently spread off campus. He hopes to find the remaining 100 needed for the study within the next few months. LaRocca is looking for combat veterans from any conflict who have finished their military service.

The veterans will be asked about different experiences that they may have had in a combat zone. LaRocca estimated the written survey lasts from 30 minutes to an hour.

LaRocca would like to finish data collection by May, allowing him to analyze the responses and defend his dissertation next summer. LaRocca would like to publish his work in an academic journal and possibly do follow-up research.

Reach Ed Enoch at ed.enoch@tuscaloosanews.com or 205-722-0209.