The Relationship Between Perceived Organizational and Cultural Support and Soldiers' Post-Deployment Symptoms
Abstract
The first few months after returning home, soldiers are adjusting to being back with their family, in garrison, and in their home country. Are factors such as perceptions of a supportive organization or society able to make this transition a little easier? This research sought to address this issue by assessing the impact of perceived organizational support (i.e., unit, Canadian Forces, Canadian Government) and perceived cultural support (i.e., Canadian society) on post deployment symptomatology. Two main hypotheses were assessed in this research. The first was whether greater amounts of perceived support (both organizational and cultural) were related to lower levels of post-deployment symptoms, irrespective of the amount of stress experienced (i.e., the Main-Effect Hypothesis). The second, alternative hypothesis was that greater amounts of perceived organizational and cultural support would reduce reports of symptoms, but only at higher levels of stress (i.e., the Stress-Buffering Hypothesis). Soldiers completed a questionnaire package within two months after returning from a deployment in Bosnia. Neither the main effect, nor the stress-buffering effect was supported. However, greater amounts of perceived work stress and combat stress were associated with the experience of higher levels of post-deployment symptoms in this sample.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA473010
Entities
People
- Donna L. Pickering
Organizations
- Defence Research and Development Canada