Iron Soldiers: Psychological Screening of Soldiers Supporting Task Force Hawk
Abstract
U.S. Army soldiers returning from NATO operations in the Balkans have participated in a command-directed Psychological Screening Program to determine psychological readiness. The primary screen consists of three clinical scales that assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression and alcohol abuse. Soldiers exceeding criteria on any scale receive a secondary screening interview to determine their need for mental health services. This study summarizes the results obtained form 1,043 soldiers 1 to 3 months after their deployment to Albania in support of NATO's Operation Allied Force. On the primary screen, 22.6% exceeded criteria in one of the clinical scales. After conducting secondary screening interviews, mental health personnel referred 5.9% of the entire sample for mental health follow-up. Although the soldiers in this study reported rates of psychological distress somewhat higher than rates reported by soldiers re-deploying from Bosnia and by their counterparts in garrison, the overall results indicate a high level of psychological readiness. Furthermore, the findings indicate that soldiers with prior deployment to the Balkans reported lower rates of psychological distress, suggesting a "stress inoculation effect" associated with deployment experience. The Psychological Screening Program affords soldiers an opportunity to report their mental health concerns and to receive a referral for mental health services. The screening program also provides commanders an assessment of the psychological readiness of their units.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 18, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA380599
Entities
People
- Amy B Adler
- Ann H. Huffman
- Carl A. Castro
- Jack F. Martinex