Building Psychological Resilience in Military Personnel


Book Description

"Efforts to exclude the less resilient from serving in the military represent a narrow and flawed understanding of what resilience is and the potential for resilience building to enhance the strength of a military. We must focus on the strengths that every individual possesses rather than the weaknesses. We must focus on team building and leadership and avoid adopting an individualistic and elitist model that harkens back to the medieval mind-set. The field of military resilience holds the promise to fundamentally transform the military in ways that are just now being imagined; to limit this potential by focusing efforts on identifying and excluding those we deem less resilient will certainly retard this potential. The contents of this book rightly focus on achieving these goals by addressing two major areas: understanding the nature and determinants of resilience in military settings, and describing methods and techniques for building resilience. Although it can be argued that resilience is a somewhat nebulous construct that has many definitions, the present volume tackles this problem by attempting to inform an improved definition for the betterment of both military personnel and their families. As advances in military resilience are realized, we must never forget that military service is fundamentally about preparing for and fighting and winning our nation's wars, which is achieved through teamwork and leadership"--Foreword. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).




Building Psychological Resilience in Military Personnel


Book Description

Military personnel and their families face innumerable challenges. Deployed soldiers are exposed to a wide range of stressors, from the continuous, low-level experience of living in a strange and austere environment for a lengthy period of time, to acute, traumatic events that occur during combat. All of these experiences can lead to long-term psychological problems like posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, substance abuse, and even suicide. Back home, spouses of deployed soldiers face an increased likelihood of depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders, while their children may exhibit behavioral issues and negative outcomes in school. In the face of these persistent problems, researchers have consistently identified resilience, a term derived from the psychological and psychiatric literature, as perhaps the single most important factor predicting successful outcomes for military personnel and their families. In this book, Sinclair and Britt and a distinguished group of researchers investigate the concept of resilience, its essential role in normal psychological development, and its relevance within various occupational contexts unique to the military. They also evaluate existing programs for developing and maintaining resilience that have been implemented in various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces. Book jacket.




Promoting Psychological Resilience in the U.S. Military


Book Description

As U.S. service members deploy for extended periods on a repeated basis, their ability to cope with the stress of deployment may be challenged. Many programs are available to encourage and support psychological resilience among service members and families. However, little is known about these programs' effectiveness. This report reviews resilience literature and programs to identify evidence-informed factors for promoting resilience.




Resilience


Book Description

This book explores the concept of ‘resilience’ in the context of militaries and militarization. Focusing on the U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, and continental Europe, it argues that, post-9/11, there has been a shift away from ‘trauma’ and towards ‘resilience’ in framing and understanding human responses to calamitous events. The contributors to this volume show how resilience-speech has been militarized, and deeply entrenched in imagined communities. As the concept travels, it is applied in diverse and often contradictory ways to a vast array of experiences, contexts, and scientific fields and disciplines. By embracing diverse methodologies and perspectives, this book reflects on how resilience has been weaponized and employed in highly gendered ways, and how it is central to neoliberal governance in the twenty-first century. While critical of the use of resilience, the chapters also reflect on more positive ways for humans to respond to unforeseen challenges.




Handbook of Military Psychology


Book Description

This expert compendium surveys the current state of military psychology across the branches of service at the clinical, research, consulting, and organizational levels. Its practical focus examines psychological adjustment pre- and post-deployment, commonly-encountered conditions (e.g., substance abuse), and the promotion of well-being, sleep, mindfulness, and resilience training. Coverage pays particular attention to uses of psychology in selection and assessment of service personnel in specialized positions, and training concerns for clinicians and students choosing to work with the military community. Chapters also address topics of particular salience to a socially conscious military, including PTSD, sexual harassment and assault, women’s and LGBT issues, suicide prevention, and professional ethics. Among the specific chapters topics covered: · Military deployment psychology: psychologists in the forward environment. · Stress and resilience in married military couples. · Assessment and selection of high-risk operational personnel: processes, procedures, and underlying theoretical constructs. · Understanding and addressing sexual harassment and sexual assault in the US military. · Virtual reality applications for the assessment and treatment of PTSD. · Plus international perspectives on military psychology from China, Australia, India, and more. Grounding its readers in up-to-date research and practice, Military Psychology will assist health psychologists, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, and clinical social workers in understanding and providing treatment for military populations, veterans, and their families, as well as military psychologists in leadership and consulting positions.




Army Leadership and the Profession (ADP 6-22)


Book Description

ADP 6-22 describes enduring concepts of leadership through the core competencies and attributes required of leaders of all cohorts and all organizations, regardless of mission or setting. These principles reflect decades of experience and validated scientific knowledge.An ideal Army leader serves as a role model through strong intellect, physical presence, professional competence, and moral character. An Army leader is able and willing to act decisively, within superior leaders' intent and purpose, and in the organization's best interests. Army leaders recognize that organizations, built on mutual trust and confidence, accomplish missions. Every member of the Army, military or civilian, is part of a team and functions in the role of leader and subordinate. Being a good subordinate is part of being an effective leader. Leaders do not just lead subordinates-they also lead other leaders. Leaders are not limited to just those designated by position, rank, or authority.




Psychological Resilience


Book Description

Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at an alarming rate. This significantly impacts the combat readiness of our formations and the well-being of our most valuable resource - our Soldiers. The Army has allocated tremendous resources to assist those diagnosed with PTSD - we are reactive in this regard. Commanders at all levels must become more knowledgeable and proactive in developing ways to prepare their formations to deal with adversity during combat operations. Although Commanders are conducting tough and realistic training prior to deployment, the high number of returnees diagnosed with PTSD indicates we are not doing enough. In training it is difficult to replicate the true nature of war; specifically graphic injuries to Soldiers or other traumatic events. The Army must assist commanders by conducting effective mental health screening on Soldiers prior to deploying, provide training that strengthens Soldiers through resilience and exposure, and provide forward mental health support. This paper addresses the issue of psychologically preparing our Soldiers for War; building psychological resilience. It will also address how the human dimension of leadership can assist in achieving this effect.




Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society


Book Description

The U.S. military has been continuously engaged in foreign conflicts for over two decades. The strains that these deployments, the associated increases in operational tempo, and the general challenges of military life affect not only service members but also the people who depend on them and who support them as they support the nation â€" their families. Family members provide support to service members while they serve or when they have difficulties; family problems can interfere with the ability of service members to deploy or remain in theater; and family members are central influences on whether members continue to serve. In addition, rising family diversity and complexity will likely increase the difficulty of creating military policies, programs and practices that adequately support families in the performance of military duties. Strengthening the Military Family Readiness System for a Changing American Society examines the challenges and opportunities facing military families and what is known about effective strategies for supporting and protecting military children and families, as well as lessons to be learned from these experiences. This report offers recommendations regarding what is needed to strengthen the support system for military families.




Family Resilience in the Military


Book Description

Most leaders in the Department of Defense (DoD) agree that family resilience is an important construct, yet DoD does not have a standard definition. The authors of this report review existing definitions of family resilience and offer a candidate definition for DoD use. They also review models of family resilience, identify key family resilience factors, and make recommendations for how DoD can manage family-resilience programs and policies.




Military Psychologists' Desk Reference


Book Description

The psychological well-being of servicemen and women returning from war is one of the most discussed and contemplated mental health issues today. Media programs debate the epidemic of PTSD in returning veterans and the potential fallout of a less-than-adequate veteran mental health system. This public discussion is only a small glimpse into the field of military psychology. One of the most diverse specialties within psychology, it is a sector positioned and equipped to influence such concepts as psychological resilience, consequences of extended family stress, the role of technology in mental healthcare delivery, and how to increase human performance under harsh conditions. Military Psychologists' Desk Reference is the authoritative guide in the field of military mental health, covering in a clear and concise manner the depth and breadth of this expanding area at a pivotal and relevant time. Moore and Barnett, former military psychologists, bring together the field's top experts to provide concise and targeted reviews of the most salient aspects of military mental health and present the material in an easily digestible manner. Chapters cover important topics such as military culture, working with Special Operations Forces, professional issues and ethical challenges, women in combat, posttraumatic stress, anxiety and sleep disorders, psychologists' involvement in interrogations, and how to build and sustain a resilient Force, to name but a few. Authors consist of a combination of current and former military psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and Chaplains, experts from the Department of Veterans Affairs, prominent academicians, and representatives from other governmental and civilian organizations. This comprehensive resource is a must for every military psychologist, as well as for non-military clinicians, researchers, counselors, social workers, educators, and trainees who increasingly need to be familiar with this specialized area of psychology.