Applying Cognitive Appraisal Theory (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984), this study sought to determine the mediating effect of cognitive appraisal on combat exposure and psychological distress. A total of 3,002 military personnel completed measures of combat exposure, cognitive appraisal of combat-related events, and psychological distress either during or soon after combat operations in Afghanistan. Bootstrapping was employed to test the mediation model. Cognitive appraisal mediated the relationship between combat exposure and psychological distress, suggesting that the impact of a potentially stressful event on well-being is contingent on one's appraisal of that event. Implications for future research and training are presented.While the effects of military operational stressors on soldiers have received much attention as of late, research in this area has been largely limited to identifying types of stressors (e.g.
Introduction: Transition to civilian life may not only be highly challenging for service members, but also for their spouses, especially following a medical release. Often, the families of ill or injured service members must confront unexpected responsibilities related to caring for the member, while having to adjust to civilian life. This study was conducted to examine military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving among spouses of newly released Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans and their associations with spousal well-being. Methods: The Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-Being Survey (CAFTWS) was administered to spouses of CAF Veterans released in 2016 ( N = 595). The survey assessed spouses’ experiences with a range of military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving, as well as various indicators of their well-being (e.g., daily stress and psychological distress). Regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations of transition challenges and caregiving with well-being. Results: Results revealed that challenges related to finding educational opportunities and health care providers, and loss of military identity, as well as more frequent engagement in caregiving, were significantly associated with elevated levels of daily stress and psychological distress among spouses of Veterans. Discussion: This study is among the first to examine transition experiences, caregiving and well-being in a representative sample of Veterans’ spouses. Findings outline key challenges experienced and underline important predictors of well-being. Recommendations on services that could help facilitate or improve the experiences of families during the transition process are discussed.
Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have consistently been associated with adult psychopathology and are commonly reported among military populations, with women more likely to report many types of ACEs than men. Limited research has examined the role of gender in the association between ACEs and mental health in military populations. The current study assessed the significance of gender differences in ACEs and mental health and explored the associations among these variables in a sample of Canadian Armed Forces recruits/officer cadets. Analyses with cross-sectional Recruit Health Questionnaire (RHQ) data from 50,603 recruits/officer cadets indicated that women were more likely to report witnessing domestic violence, experiencing sexual abuse, and living with someone with mental health problems or alcohol misuse, odds ratios (ORs) = 1.22-4.35, ps < .001. Women were more likely to screen positive for depression, adjusted (aORs) = 1.25-1.49, p < .001-p = .002, and anxiety, aORs = 2.00-2.33, ps < .001, before basic military training. ACEs were associated with screening positive for probable mental health conditions, aORs = 1.54-6.13, p < .001-p = .017. A significant interaction suggested the association between childhood sexual abuse and depression was stronger for men, aOR = 2.49, p < .001, than women, aOR = 1.63, p = .002, as was the association between childhood sexual abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder, men: aOR = 6.06, p < .001, women: aOR = 3.36, p < .001. These results underscore the importance of considering gender and childhood trauma in mental health interventions with military personnel.It is widely recognized that military personnel may experience a range of stressors throughout their career, which, in turn, places them at risk of developing mental health conditions. These stressors include prolonged separation from family, multiple relocations, and high-intensity training, in addition to personal danger and acute traumatic events during deployment (Adler et al., 2004). Not surprisingly, significant efforts have focused on understanding the prevalence of and risk factors for mental health condi-
Recent studies showing an association between adverse childhood experiences and the development of alexithymia in military personnel have generated interest regarding the role of alexithymia in the pathway linking childhood trauma exposure to mental health disorders. Accordingly, the current study was conducted to (a) examine the associations among adverse childhood experiences, alexithymia, and symptoms of depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among recently deployed Canadian military personnel and (b) assess the mediating role of alexithymia in these associations. Data collected from 2,927 members of the Canadian Armed Forces at baseline and after their return from an overseas deployment were subjected to a prospective path analysis. The results of the path analysis, R 2 = .35, pointed to a significant direct effect of childhood adversity on postdeployment mental health symptoms. Contrary to our expectations, the results also pointed to a negative indirect effect of childhood neglect, suggesting that childhood neglect contributed to lower levels of postdeployment depression and PTSD symptoms through the dimension of alexithymia related to difficulty in describing feelings. These patterns of associations, for the most part, persisted even when accounting for combat exposure during recent deployments, R 2 = .42. The present results are discussed in light of study limitations and methodological considerations, and policy and clinical implications are noted. Adverse childhood experiences (ACE), including child abuse, exposure to intimate partner violence, and neglect, have a range of physical and mental health consequences (Felitti et al., 1998; Gahm, Lucekno, Retzlaff, & Fukada, 2007). Several large, well-designed studies have assessed the role of cumulative ACEs and other traumatic events as potential risk factors for mental health conditions among currently serving military personnel (
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