U.S. Army National Guard and Army Reserve (ANG/USAR) soldiers are at risk for substance use, and research in other populations suggests risk-related behaviors and traits affect the propensity for use. Less is known about how deployment might amplify these effects. Our research explored the relations between risk-related behaviors and substance use among ANG/USAR soldiers and investigated differences by deployment (previously vs. never deployed). We drew a subset of data from Operation: SAFETY, an ongoing study of ANG/USAR soldiers and their partners (married/living together as if married). Cross-sectional regression models examined domains of risk (i.e., risk perception, risk-taking/impulsivity, sensation-seeking) and substance use (any current drug use, current non-medical use of prescription drugs, current illicit drug use, alcohol problems, and frequent heavy drinking [FHD]). Final models controlled for age, sex, anger, and PTSD. Interaction terms between risk behaviors and deployment status on substance use were also noted. Results revealed that greater risk perception was significantly associated with a lower likelihood of and protective against FHD. Greater risk-taking/impulsivity was associated with a higher likelihood of any current drug use and alcohol problems. Additionally, interaction models suggest that non-deployed soldiers at every level of risk-taking/impulsivity had a consistently high likelihood of illicit drug use overall. Sensation-seeking was not associated with any outcome. Findings demonstrate that greater risk-taking/impulsivity was associated with substance use, and never deployed/non-deployed ANG/USAR soldiers might be more vulnerable. Our work can help inform substance use interventions in the military by highlighting the role and impact of risk-related behaviors and non-deployment.
Combat-related physical injuries not only affect the individual but also close family members. Emerging evidence indicates that injuries that change appearance, such as limb loss and physical scarring, may create additional psychosocial challenges for the injured person and their family. However, to date the impact of appearance-altering combat injuries have not been explored among the partners of those who were injured. Using a qualitative individual interview design, this study aimed to gain experiential insights into the appearance-specific impact on the partners of military personnel who sustained appearance-altering injuries during deployments or training. Reflexive Thematic Analysis of interviews with 11 female partners identified two main themes "The challenges of looking different" and "How our life continues." The themes reflect challenges experienced by the partners in relation to their injured partner looking "different" from societally accepted appearance ideals, and the impact this could have on their children. Yet, they had found ways for life to continue such as drawing on positive emotions, having gratitude, pride in their partner's service, and normalizing difference for their children. While the partners found ways to adapt, this study draws attention to unmet needs for appearance-specific support.
Resilience training offered to military personnel often fails to reinforce training practices into routine military activities. We describe the implementation of a supervisor-led after action review designed to provide personnel with frequent opportunities for the supervisor reinforced application of resilience training skills at work. This paper provides a roadmap for engaging supervisors to support this program and details strategies used across its design and their contribution to implementation fidelity. Strategies included iterative stakeholder engagement in co-design and the use of mixed-methods data collection, including field observational ratings, open ended survey questions, and focus group interviews. The design and implementation process are reported in two phases: initial and re-implementation phases. Chi-square analyses and t-tests of initial phase data indicated that the after action review designed to guide the application of resilience training skills was distinct from preexisting after action reviews of tactical skills and drills. Reflexive interpretations of instructor feedback guided refinement to the extension and subsequent re-implementation phase data indicated implementation fidelity. When engaging leaders and resilience non-specialists in activities that support military resilience training, we recommend involving stakeholders in the design and implementation process, responding flexibly to their concerns, and balancing their experienced work change demands with appropriate resources.
A self-report four-item Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS) measures tendencies to cope with stress in a highly adaptive manner. We investigated the level of resilient coping and the psychometric properties of the BRCS among young men participating military call-up. The study sample consisted of a one-year military call-up sample (N = 2184) in the Northern Finland. Most of the participants were at the age of 17–18 years. They completed a study questionnaire including the BRCS and other psychosocial scales during the military call-up. The construct validity of the BRCS was assessed with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent and discriminant validity were assessed by relating resilient coping with self-reports of dispositional optimism (LOT-R), sense of coherence (SOC-13), perceived stress (PSS-10), general anxiety (GAD-7), and depression (R-BDI). The mean BRCS total score of the participants indicated good resilient coping and was related to specific sociodemographic factors, such as education, relationship status and family structure. The internal consistency of the BRCS was good. EFA and CFA showed that one-factor solution fitted to the data best. BRCS correlated positively with dispositional optimism and sense of coherence, and negatively with perceived stress, general anxiety, and depression. BRCS appears to be psychometrically adequate tool in assessing healthy young men's resilient coping before commencing their compulsory conscript service. The evaluation of resilient coping prior to military service is important to military forces.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms among service members appear to have a stronger impact on functioning in military families compared to civilian families. To better understand this relationship, this study applied the concepts explained by Social Identity Theory to explore how a Veteran's social identity interacts with PTSD symptoms to affect family functioning. The sample included Veteran parents (N = 291) from San Francisco, CA and Chicago, IL who completed a cross-sectional survey about their well-being and transition out of service, including measures of PTSD, military identity, and family functioning. Linear regression showed a Veteran's social identification with the military had significant main effects on adverse family functioning (β = 1.5, p = .001) and significantly moderated the relationship between PTSD and adverse family functioning (β = −0.02, p = .03). The interaction shows that higher perceptions of the military as family appeared to attenuate the relationship between PTSD symptoms and adverse family functioning up to a certain point. Our findings suggest that a Veteran's greater desire to go back to the military or stronger feelings that the military was their family protected the functioning of their family from their PTSD symptoms. However, when a Veteran had the highest possible desire to go back to the military or the strongest feeling like the military was their family, there was no effect on the relationship between PTSD symptoms and family functioning. Findings suggest the need to better understand how dimensions and strength of military identity can affect the relationship between PTSD symptoms and family functioning.
