German Soldiers' Needs to Clarify Open Aspects in Their Life, to Talk About Fears and Worries, and to Forgive and to Be Forgiven as a Matter of Life Reflection

Abstract

Background: In missions, soldiers are confronted with difficult situations which may impair their physical and mental health. As the resulting problems are commonly regarded as stigmata, soldiers may obviate talking about their experiences and try to oppress them. It was aim of this study to clarify whether soldiers do perceive needs to reflect back on life, to seek release from “open aspects” of their life, and to talk with others about fears and worries, to forgive others or to be forgiven. Further we intended to clarify whether these needs were related to stress perception, post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) symptoms and reduced life satisfaction on the one hand, and religious trust as a resource to cope on the other hand.Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 1,097 German soldiers (92% men). Existential/spiritual needs and mental health indicators, including stress perception, PTSD symptoms, life satisfaction, were assessed using standardized questionnaires.Results: For 30% of soldiers it was important to reflect on life, 23% had a strong need to clarify open aspects of life, 30% had a strong need to talk with others about their fears and worries, 13% had strong needs to forgive, and 13% had a strong need to be forgiven. Soldiers' needs to clarify open (and probably conflicting) aspects of life were moderately related to their intention to forgive others and to be forgiven (rs > 0.35). Soldiers treated in the hospital for psycho-mental trauma had significantly higher needs scores than soldiers still serving on active duty, particularly for the need to talk with others (F = 39.1; p < 0.0001) and to be forgiven (F = 26.0; p < 0.0001). Across all soldiers the best predictors of these needs were PTSD symptoms and stress perception, albeit with relatively weak predictive power (βs < 0.25; R2s < 0.24).Conclusions: The process of life reflection and subsequent intention to solve conflicting situations and experiences can be considered a process of coping with one's own failures, guilt, and mistakes. It should be noted that these needs were significantly stronger in soldiers with trauma. Addressing unmet needs may help them to communicate and to reject the stigma of “weakness.”

Inner Peace needs of male psychiatric patients in post-war Croatia are associated with their needs to clarify open issues in their life and their needs for forgiveness

“…We used a modified version with 17 items, which uses whole sentences instead of reduced sentences. The internal reliability of this 17-item version was very good in soldiers (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) ( 37 ). The internal consistency was very good in this sample (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96).…”

“…A further finding from these soldiers was that 30% had a strong need to talk with others about their fears and worries, 13% had a strong need to forgive, and 13% had a strong need to be forgiven ( 37 ). Those who were treated in the hospital for psycho-mental trauma had significantly higher needs to clarify open aspects of their lives, to talk about their fears and worries, and to forgive and to be forgiven ( 37 ).…”

“…A further finding from these soldiers was that 30% had a strong need to talk with others about their fears and worries, 13% had a strong need to forgive, and 13% had a strong need to be forgiven ( 37 ). Those who were treated in the hospital for psycho-mental trauma had significantly higher needs to clarify open aspects of their lives, to talk about their fears and worries, and to forgive and to be forgiven ( 37 ). Thus, the topics of inner peace needs (particularly peaceful places to distance oneself from the trauma and may experience ease and peacefulness) and needs to forgive and to be forgiven are associated, and both need categories are related to PTSD symptoms in soldiers.…”

Forgiveness as a mechanism of repair following military-related moral injury.

“…Preliminary evidence also shows that forgiveness as a method to cope with a perceived transgression may promote meaning making, which is an important facet of recovery from trauma-related conditions such as PTSD and moral injury. In a sample of German soldiers (N = 1,097), 13% of participants reported a need to forgive others, and another 13% reported a need to be forgiven themselves (Bussing et al, 2018). Associations between the need to clarify unresolved aspects of life with desires to forgive and be forgiven were mediated by soldiers' beliefs that they needed to talk about their worries and concerns.…”

Chaplaincy, Spiritual Care and Moral Injury: Considerations Regarding Screening and Treatment

“…However the process of reflection and the essential importance of the chaplain's role with regard to moral injury, predominantly concerns the person's faith, beliefs, or framework for meaning, rather than purely traumatic events. Bussing et al's research among military personal, has indicated that “…the process of life reflection and subsequent intention to solve conflicting situations and experiences, can be considered as a process to cope with one's own failures, guilt, and mistakes” (54). This reflective stage provides the opportunity to consider the moral and spiritual impact of failures, guilt and sense of betrayal rather than just focusing on the trauma.…”