Psychological Well-Being and Physical Health Symptoms of Soldiers Deployed for Operation Uphold Democracy. A Summary of Human Dimensions Research in Haiti.
Abstract
A Human Dimensions Research (HDR) team was formed and sent to Haiti to assess the psychological status and adaptation of the U.S. Army force deployed for Operation Uphold Democracy. Research questionnaires were collected from 3,205 soldiers, interviews were conducted with 267 soldiers, and 1,250 soldiers provided 2,650 verbatim comments regarding the operation which were content analyzed. The HDR results demonstrated that, when viewed as a population, soldiers deployed to Haiti did not report unusually high levels of psychological distress or physical health symptoms. Subsamples of individuals did report elevated reports of psychological distress and physical health symptoms. Four sets of factors are discussed which were found to be significantly related to the well-being of soldiers in Haiti: (1) stress associated with the operational environment, (2) stress due to family separation, (3) unit and work issues, and (4) broader policy issues. The results have implications for unit leaders at all levels, mental health and medical personnel, and policy makers. Eight lessons learned from the Human Dimensions Research in Haiti are discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 25, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA298125
Entities
People
- Carl A. Castro
- Paul D. Bliese
- Robert E. Moore
- Ronald R. Halverson
Organizations
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research