A narrative study of the lives of ``Combat Surfers'' : suffering and surfing in the aftermath

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A narrative study of the
lives of ‘‘Combat Surfers’’ :
suffering and surfing in the
aftermath of war
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• A Doctoral Thesis. Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements
for the award of Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University.
Metadata Record: https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/16569
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Please cite the published version.
A Narrative Study of the Lives of “Combat Surfers”: Suffering and Surfing in the Aftermath
of War

by

Nicholas Caddick

A Doctoral Thesis
Submitted in partial fulfilment for the requirements for the award of
Doctor of Philosophy of Loughborough University

September 2014

© Nicholas Caddick, 2014
To the veterans for entrusting me with their stories,
And to my wife, for making me part of her story
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Acknowledgements
Thank-you firstly to Dr Brett Smith for being a fantastic supervisor and mentor. Thank-you
for not being content; for always pushing me to develop my work and for being – in equal
parts – a critical friend. Thank-you for opening doors; for creating opportunities and helping
me to realise them. Thank-you for all of your personal support and encouragement
throughout the supervisory process. Thank-you for the model of excellence and
professionalism that you provide. And thank-you to both you and Cassie for frequently and
generously opening your home to me during data collection.
I am lucky to have many wonderful colleagues who have supported and inspired me
both during the Ph.D and prior to commencing it. Several of them deserve a mention here.
Thank-you to my office buddies/Ph.D colleagues for sharing the journey with me. Thanks
especially to the members of reading group: our discussions have been a source of endless
inspiration and have introduced me to a great deal of insightful scholarly material that I’d
otherwise not have encountered. I always look forward to our meetings and will continue to
do so. I also wish to thank several mentors and colleagues who have supported me,
challenged me, and provided me with useful feedback including Cassie Phoenix, John
Cromby, David Jackson, and Kevin Spruce. Thanks also to my colleagues at the European
Centre for Environment and Human Health for welcoming me during my six month sojourn
at your interesting and vibrant research centre. And thank-you to my Gloucestershire
lecturers, Emily Ryall and Denise Hill, for encouraging me and sparking my academic
curiosity.
To my family, thank-you for supporting me in many ways over my eight years of
student-hood. Thank-you for all the opportunities you’ve given me and for all the love and
support you’ve offered. I hope I’ve made you proud.
To my friends, thanks for staying in touch and providing much-needed respite at key
moments during the Ph.D process. Shout outs to Hoopsquad and the Blythe Crew!
To my wife, thank-you for being with me every step of the way and for being the
bubbly, friendly, and compassionate person that you are. You have the patience of ten saints!
My deepest debt of gratitude goes to the veterans who took part in this research, who
welcomed me into their world and trusted me with their unique stories. Thank-you. This
thesis is dedicated to you.
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YOU CAN’T STOP THE WAVES, BUT YOU CAN LEARN TO SURF
Jon Kabat-Zinn

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Abstract
In this PhD thesis, the lives and experiences of a group of combat veterans who began surfing
following their return from war are explored. Having encountered life changing traumatic
events and experienced much suffering (with many becoming diagnosed with post-traumatic
stress disorder), these veterans joined an ex-services charity called Surf Action where they
were introduced to surfing alongside other veterans who shared their suffering. The purpose
of this research is to explore the effects of surfing – and, more broadly, of participation in the
charity Surf Action – in the veterans’ lives and on their well-being. It is the first in-depth
qualitative investigation of surfing in the lives of combat veterans. Using a combination of
life history interviews and participant observation, I collected and analysed stories from the
veterans about their lived experiences. Through rigorously applying the innovative analytical
approach of dialogical narrative analysis (Frank, 2010, 2012), also inspired by
phenomenology, the effects of the veterans’ stories both on and for their lives and well-being
are examined. The analysis first demonstrates that stories of surfing were focused on the
veterans’ physical and sensory interactions with the ocean environment, and helped to
cultivate the notion of embodied respite from suffering. It is then suggested that by telling
and enacting a collective story, the veterans at Surf Action (the “Combat Surfers”) created a
therapeutic community through which they accessed mutual support, recreated positive
military identities associated with camaraderie, and legitimised their struggles with PTSD.
Next, the masculine performances which shaped the veterans’ actions and narratives around
help-seeking and dealing with PTSD are highlighted. Furthermore, the analysis reveals the
meanings associated with moving beyond the chaotic influence of trauma in the veterans’
lives and suggests ways of “keeping well” following trauma and PTSD. The thesis also
incorporates an ethnographic creative non-fiction as a way of enhancing knowledge
translation and facilitating wider impact and dissemination of the findings. Finally, the thesis
concludes with empirical, theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of the
research, with an emphasis throughout on what to the study adds to knowledge. The potential
of surfing to contribute to veterans’ healthcare is discussed alongside recommendations for
the charity Surf Action and future possibilities for expanding this research.

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Table of contents
Publications arising from this thesis .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 8
Conference presentations arising from this thesis .. .. .. .. p. 9

Chapter one: Introduction .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 10
1.0 What is this PhD about? .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 10
1.1 Background .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 10
1.2 Overview of the thesis .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 12
1.3 Situating myself in the research: A note on reflexivity .. .. p. 13

PART ONE: Introducing and contextualising the research .. .. p. 16
Chapter two: Literature review .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 17
2.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 17
2.1 Post-traumatic stress disorder .. .. .. .. .. p. 17
2.2 PTSD: The great debate .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 20
2.3 PTSD and the military .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 21
2.4 Treating ‘disorder’ through the medical model .. .. .. p. 24
2.5 Veterans’ well-being: Subjective and psychological aspects .. p. 26
2.6 Supporting well-being through sport and physical activity .. p. 27
2.7 The natural environment .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 29
2.7.1 The Blue Gym .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 32
2.8 A narrative perspective on PTSD, well-being, and the blue gym p. 33
2.8.1 Narrative, the body, and phenomenology .. .. p. 35
2.9 The PhD project: Surf Action, the research context and aims of the research
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 36
2.10 Research questions .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 38
2.11 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 39

Chapter three: Method and methodology .. .. .. .. .. p. 40
3.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 40
3.1 Qualitative research: What and why? .. .. .. .. p. 40
3.2 Ontology and epistemology .. .. .. .. .. p. 42
3.3 Narrative inquiry .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 43
3.3.1 A phenomenologically inspired narrative inquiry .. .. p. 43
3.4 Sampling and participants .. .. .. .. .. p. 44
3.5 Data collection .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 46
3.6 Data analysis .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 49
3.7 Representation .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 52
3.8 Ethics .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 53
3.9 Possible criteria .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 55
3.10 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 56

Chapter four: After the military: From Civvy Street to PTSD to Surf Action p. 57
4.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 57
4.1 Encounters with ‘Civvy Street’ .. .. .. .. .. p. 57
4.2 Experiencing PTSD and becoming diagnosed .. .. .. p. 61
4.3 Surf Action .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 64
4.4 Arriving at Surf Action .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 70
4.5 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 71
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PART TWO: The Combat Surfers – Bodies, relationships, performance, and beyond
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 72
Chapter five: Entering the Blue Gym: Embodied respite and the phenomenology of
storytelling .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 73
5.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 73
5.1 Theoretical backdrop to embodied respite .. .. .. p. 73
5.2 Experiencing respite from PTSD .. .. .. .. .. p. 75
5.3 Effects of surfing on well-being .. .. .. .. .. p. 79
5.4 How did surfing influence well-being? .. .. .. .. p. 84
5.5 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 88

Chapter six: The collective story: Peer relationships and well-being among the veterans
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 90
6.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 90
6.1 Theoretical backdrop to collective stories .. .. .. p. 90
6.2 Collective story: The ‘band of brothers’ .. .. .. .. p. 91
6.3 Dialogical components of the collective story .. .. .. p. 95
6.3.1 Acceptance and belonging .. .. .. .. p. 95
6.3.2 Camaraderie .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 98
6.3.3 Not having to explain, yet being understood .. .. p. 99
6.3.4 Looking out for each other .. .. .. .. p. 101
6.3.5 Normalising and legitimising suffering .. .. .. p. 102
6.4 Well-being and the collective story .. .. .. .. p. 104
6.5 The collective story as ‘therapeutic’ .. .. .. .. p. 106
6.6 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 107

Chapter seven: Performing masculinities in the narrative environment of Surf Action
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 109
7.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 109
7.1 Theoretical backdrop to masculine performances .. .. p. 109
7.2 Responding and ‘non-responding’ to PTSD: Masculine habitus as a danger to
well-being .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 111
7.3 ‘Fighting’ PTSD: Enacting masculinity as a resource for well-being p. 113
7.4 Banter and the narrative environment as a resource for well-being p. 115
7.5 Contradictions of help-seeking: Upholding masculinity as both danger to, and
resource for, well-being .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 118
7.6 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 121

Chapter eight: ‘Keeping well’: Health work, emergent narratives, intransitive hope, and the
narrative task of self-understanding .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 123
8.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 123
8.1 Introducing Samuel and Matthew .. .. .. .. .. p. 124
8.2 ‘Keeping well’ through health work and wellness-oriented practices p. 126
8.3 Emergent narratives and intransitive hope .. .. .. p. 130
8.4 The narrative task of self-understanding .. .. .. .. p. 133
8.5 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 139

Chapter nine: An ethnographic creative non-fiction of surfing, Surf Action and PTSD
.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 141
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9.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 141
9.1 Constructing the story .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 141
9.2 Telling the tale .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 142
9.3 Reflections .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 151
9.4 Chapter summary .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 155

PART THREE: An unfinalised ending .. .. .. .. .. p. 156
Chapter ten: Conclusions .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 157
10.0 Overview .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 157
10.1 Empirical implications .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 157
10.2 Theoretical implications .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 161
10.3 Methodological implications .. .. .. .. .. p. 163
10.4 Practical implications .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 165
10.4.1 Recommendations for Surf Action .. .. .. p. 167
10.5 Concluding thoughts and future possibilities .. .. .. p. 168

References .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 171

Appendices .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 193
Appendix A: Participant descriptions .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 194
Appendix B: Participant information sheet .. .. .. .. .. p. 201
Appendix C: Informed consent form .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 203
Appendix D: Professional support networks .. .. .. .. .. p. 205
Appendix E: Interview guide .. .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 206
Appendix F: Caddick & Smith (2014). The impact of sport and physical activity on the well-
being of combat veterans: A systematic review .. .. .. .. p. 208

List of tables
Table 3.1 Participant demographics .. .. .. .. .. p. 47

List of figures
Figure 2.1 Four features of restorative environments .. .. .. p. 30
Figure 4.1 Surf Action’s logo .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 65
Figure 4.2 Action shot of the “Combat Surfers” .. .. .. .. p. 65
Figure 4.3 Surf Action group photo .. .. .. .. .. p. 66
Figure 4.4 Catching a wave .. .. .. .. .. .. p. 66

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Publications arising from this thesis
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

Caddick, N., & Smith, B. (2014). The impact of sport and physical activity on the well-being
of combat veterans: A systematic review. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 15, 9-18.
Caddick, N., Smith, B., & Phoenix, C. (2014). The effects of surfing and the natural
environment on the well-being of combat veterans. Qualitative Health Research.
DOI: 10.1177/1049732314549477
Caddick, N., Smith, B., & Phoenix, C. (in press). Male combat veterans’ narratives of PTSD,
masculinity, and health. Sociology of Health and Illness.
Caddick, N., Phoenix, C., & Smith, B. (in press). Collective stories and well-being: Using a
dialogical narrative approach to understand peer relationships among combat veterans
experiencing PTSD. Journal of Health Psychology.
Clarke, N., Willis, M. E. H., Barnes, J., Caddick, N., Cromby, J., McDermott, H., &
Wiltshire, G. (in press). Analytical pluralism in qualitative research: A meta-study.
Qualitative Research in Psychology.
Smith, B., & Caddick, N. (2012). Qualitative methods in sport: A concise overview for
guiding social scientific sport research. Asia Pacific Journal of Sport and Social
Science, 1, 60-73.

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BOOK CHAPTERS
Caddick, N. (forthcoming). Doing narrative analysis. In E. Lyons & A. Coyle (Eds.),
Analysing qualitative data in psychology (2nd edition). London: Sage.
Smith, B., Caddick, N., & Williams, T.L. (in press). Qualitative methods and conceptual
advances in sport psychology. In S. Mellalieu & S. Hanton (Eds.), Contemporary
advances in sport psychology: A review. London: Routledge.
Smith, B., Sparkes, A.C. & Caddick, N. (2014). Passing judgment on qualitative sports
coaching research: Validity and goodness criteria. In. L. Nelson, R. Groom, & P.
Potrac (Eds.), Research methods in sport coaching (pp. 192-201). London: Routledge.

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