Resilience Under Military Operational Stress: Can Leaders Influence Hardiness?

Abstract

Although many people suffer physical and mental health decrements following exposure to stress, many others show remarkable resilience, remaining healthy despite high stress levels. If the factors that account for resilience can be clearly identified and understood, perhaps resilience can be enhanced even for those most vulnerable to stress. One potential pathway to resilience is personality hardiness, a characteristic sense that life is meaningful, we choose our own futures, and change is interesting and valuable. This article applies this hardiness concept to the context of military operational stress, and argues that highly effective leaders can increase hardy, resilient responses to stressful circumstances within their units. I discuss the nature of stress in modern military operations, and briefly review relevant hardiness theory and research. Three sets of considerations lead to the proposition that hardy leaders can indeed increase hardy cognitions and behaviors in groups. These considerations concern (a) the likely underlying mechanisms of hardiness, which have to do with how experiences get interpreted and made sense of; (b) relevant theoretical positions on leader social influence, including transformational leadership and path-goal leader theory; and (c) several empirical studies that have shown indirect support for a hardy leader influence process. A case vignette is provided to illustrate how leaders might increase hardy cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors within their organizations during highly stressful operations. This potential for leaders to boost hardiness as a pathway to resiliency in groups under stress merits further active investigation.Military operations across the entire range of conflict expose military personnel (and increasingly, contract workers) to a multitude of stressors. These stressors can lead to a variety of negative health consequences, both physical and mental, for MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY, 2006, 18(Suppl.), S131-S148

Theoretical Dimensions of Small Unit Resilience

“…"These stressors can lead to a variety of negative health consequences, both physical and mental, for exposed individuals" (Bartone, 2006, pp. S132-S133).…”

“…To reduce the cases of PTSD and suicides in the combat zone, leaders must have a keen understanding of physiological and psychological effects of sustained stress on deployed Soldiers. According to Bartone (2006):…”

“…According to Bartone (2006), "increased deployments entail 8 other stressful changes in military units as well, such as an increased number (and intensity) of training exercises, planning sessions, and equipment inspections, all of which increase the workload and pace of operations" (p. S133). Furthermore, he states that "more frequent deployments also involve more family separations, a recognized stressor for Soldiers" (p. S133).…”

“…The question then becomes, what tools, strategies, or theories can be applied to assist individual Soldiers and military units in building resilience in an effort to effectively cope with stress (Bartone, 2006, p. S136)?…”

Leadership and post-traumatic stress disorder: are soldiers’ perceptions of organizational justice during deployment protective?

“…Military leaders serve a central position in guiding and supporting subordinate soldiers before, during and after deployment (Bartone, 2006; Britt, Wright, & Moore, 2012; Jones et al, 2012; McGurk et al, 2014), and since leaders themselves are aware of such an influence (Adler et al, 2008), leadership may be one such modifiable risk or resilience factor with regards to prevention of PTSD.…”