Reserve Soldiers’ Psychological Resilience Impact to Sustainable Military Competences: On the Mediating Role of Psychological Skills (Effort, Self-Efficacy, Proactivity)

Abstract

This research aims to explore an analytical model, gauge the interplay between psychological resilience and achieved military competencies, and examine an intermediary role of effort, proactivity, and self-efficacy. In this study, 337 reserve soldiers from Lithuania were investigated with the Lithuanian Military Training Competences Assessment Scale, Resilience Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), and Proactivity Scale. Our findings highlighted the importance of the psychological resilience of reserve soldiers due to its positive relationship with the personality traits. Implicit interconnectedness between psychological resilience and psychological skills together with military competences was researched, and it became evident that self-efficacy determined a statistically important mediating role (indirect effect = 0.264 **, p < 0.05) between reservists’ psychological resilience and perceived military training course results. However, the other components included in the study did not have a mediating effect (effort indirect effect = 0.03, p > 0.1; proactivity indirect effect = 0.094, p > 0.1). The research findings are important because of greater prominence of the role of reserve troops in military operations around the world and achievements in the domain of security and defense. This study has great theoretical and empirical value in making decisions concerning the psychological resilience of reserve soldiers’ promotion and sustainable improvement of military preparedness strategies.

Impact of personality on cadet academic and military performance within mediating role of self-efficacy

“…Therefore, self-efficacy, which refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to complete tasks, overcome obstacles, and succeed in specific situations, plays a critical role in the ability of soldiers to deal effectively with unexpected circumstances ( Boe et al, 2018 ). According to social cognitive theories ( Bandura, 1997 ) academic self-concept and self-efficacy can play a significant role in determining one’s motivation, perseverance, and resilience ( Djourova et al, 2020 ; Bekesiene et al, 2022 ; Kanapeckaitė et al, 2022 ; Bekesiene et al, 2023 ). As military professionals often encounter high-stress situations that require quick decision making and effective problem-solving ( Myrseth et al, 2018 ; Smaliukiene et al, 2022 ), the strong self-efficacy helps them manage stress by improving their belief in their ability to cope with and overcome challenges.…”

Relationships between team characteristics and soldiers’ organizational commitment and well-being: the mediating role of psychological resilience

“…The scholarly literature pertaining to structural equation modeling consistently advocates a systematic two-step approach for the comprehensive evaluation of models incorporating latent variables, as delineated in studies spanning references ( Kanapeckaitė et al, 2022 ). In adherence to this established methodology, our investigation comprised two pivotal phases: first, the examination of the adequacy and construct validity of our measurement model; second, the examination of structural models and associated hypotheses.…”

The effect of cadet resilience on self-efficacy and professional achievement: verification of the moderated mediating effect of vocational calling

“…Soldiers are physically and mentally prepared to endure hardships, respond to crises, and carry out their duties under adverse conditions. This training includes simulated exercises, scenario planning, and drills ( Wampler et al, 2006 ; Mjelde et al, 2016 ; Kanapeckaitė et al, 2022 ; Bekesiene, 2023 ). Moreover, leaders within military organizations must exhibit resilience in their decision-making, adaptability to changing situations, and the ability to inspire and lead their troops effectively, especially in high-stress and uncertain environments ( Jackson et al, 2012 ; Adler and Castro, 2013 ; Southwick et al, 2017 ).…”