The Psychological Adaptation of CF Augmentees: Effects of Personality, Situational Appraisals, Social Support, and Prior Stressors on Operational Readiness

Abstract

This research investigates the influence of individual differences in personality, positive and negative situational appraisals concerning an upcoming deployment, prior military stressors, and social support on self-reported symptoms, commitment to the role of peacekeeper, and commitment to the CF, three variables assumed to be indices of operational readiness. This study also represents the first phase of a program of longitudinal research, designed to assess the effects of predeployment factors and deployment events on deployment and post-deployment psychological adaptation.532 Canadian Forces personnel training as augmentees for a peace support mission participated in this research. One-way ANOVAs showed that mean levels tended to be consistent across demographic groups. Hierarchical regressions were used to assess applicability of social cognitive theories of adaptation to the realm of operational readiness for peace support operations. Specifically, we tested the primacy of individual differences in personality and situational appraisals, and which variables within these groups were uniquely associated with each indicator of operational readiness, after controlling for the effects of prior stressors and social support. Results confirmed the importance of individual differences and situational appraisals in that both consistently predicted each of the three indicators of operational readiness. Social support and prior stressors were less consistent predictors of operational readiness to deploy. These results are discussed in terms of the unique contributions of this research to a more complete understanding of factors affecting psychological adaptation across the deployment cycle.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA633896

Entities

People

  • Donald R. Mccreary
  • Megan M. Thompson
  • Monique A. Gignac

Organizations

  • Defence Research and Development Canada

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Behavioral Sciences
  • Combat Readiness
  • Demography
  • Deployment
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Education
  • Health Services
  • Medical Personnel
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Operations
  • Military Personnel
  • Operational Readiness
  • Psychology
  • Students
  • Surveys
  • Training
  • Traumatic Stress Disorder

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Organizational Psychology.
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.