Date

5-20-2026

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Ralph Mike Ogburn

Keywords

emotional regulation, emotional expressive suppression, military

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Military members face a multitude of unique stressors that may contribute to the use of emotional expressive suppression. Yet limited research exists on the effects of emotional suppression on employee job satisfaction within the military ranks. This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study explored the perceptions and experiences of 17 active duty military members of the United States Coast Guard regarding emotional expressive suppression and its effect on personal job satisfaction. The research questions explored the lived experiences of those who employed emotional expressive suppression and their accounts of job satisfaction, framed within emotional regulation and the range of affect theory. Through semi-structured interviews, this study examined the connection between personal experiences of those who used emotional expressive suppression in their military role and whether doing so had affected job satisfaction. This study identified eight key themes in the personal experiences of those who employed emotional expressive suppression: consequences of sustained suppression, strategic implementation, the identity and roles that normalize suppression, institutionalized norms of suppression, psychological costs of implementation, strategic and context-dependent use, desired organizational reforms, and job dissatisfaction experiences. The study’s findings showed that emotional suppression is a persistent and deeply ingrained practice used to navigate hierarchical culture, toxic leadership, and the operational demands of military life. These conclusions reinforce the critical need to develop enhanced leadership and resilience training programs to empower all members to survive and thrive within the military ranks.

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