Military Social Research Articles

Depressive Symptoms and Mental Health of Military Social Service Personnel

Purpose: This study aims to find the mental health characteristics and factors affecting depressive symptoms in military social service personnel.Methods: This descriptive investigation retrospective cohort study analyzed secondary data of social service personnel at I City for five years from April 2016 to May 2020. The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale, the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-K, the Paranoia Scale, and the Reynolds Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire were used to examine the mental health of social service personnel.Results: Compared to the military social service personnel with no depression, depressed social service personnel were more paranoid (t=7.13, <i>p</i><.001), and had more suicidal ideas (t=7.44, <i>p</i><.001). Depressive symptoms had a significant positive correlation with alcohol use disorder scores (r=.262, <i>p</i><.001), paranoid ideas (r=.594, <i>p</i><.01), and suicidal ideas (r=.594, <i>p</i><.01). Alcohol use disorder scores (β=.16, t=2.86, <i>p</i>=.005), paranoid scores (β=.30, t=4.34, <i>p</i><.001), and suicidal ideas (β=.42, t=5.95, <i>p</i><.001) predicted depressive symptoms (R<sup>2</sup>=.49, <i>p</i><.001).Conclusion: Alcohol addiction, paranoid ideas, and suicidal ideas were found to be factors that affect depressive symptoms in military social service personnel.

Actualization of professional training for future social workers to work with military personnel and their families

The article presents the results of an online survey conducted among students of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NULES) regarding their awareness of the problems and needs of military personnel. The survey involved 585 respondents, all of whom were full-time students. The survey results indicate that the majority of students have military personnel/veterans/combatants in their close circle. According to the students, military personnel/combatants/veterans most often face psychological problems provoked by participation in combat operations. The most common problems for military personnel/combatants who are studying include the inability to combine education with service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine; lack of respect from others; psychological issues related to the war; lack of understanding and acceptance by others; and difficulties in adapting to civilian life. According to the students, the problems faced by military personnel/combatants who are studying should be addressed by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine; the university rector; vice-rectors; public and charitable organizations, among others. An analysis of the curricula for students majoring in specialty 231 «Social Work» showed that only a few programs include an educational component that directly prepares them for psychosocial work with military personnel and their families, namely: «Socio-Psychological Counseling for Military Personnel and Their Families» (6 credits, bachelor's level, National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine); «Social Work with Military Personnel and Their Families» (3 credits, bachelor's level, Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University); «Military Social Work» (3 credits, master's level, National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy).

Development of Military Social Service courses at Saudi Universities

Development of Military Social Service courses at Saudi Universities

Trends in psychotropic drug consumption among French military personnel during the COVID-19 epidemic

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic may have had significant mental health consequences for military personnel, which is a population already exposed to psychological stress. To assess the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we analyzed the dispensing of three classes of psychotropic drugs (anxiolytics, hypnotics, and antidepressants) among French military personnel.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted using the individualized medico-administrative data of persons insured by the National Military Social Security Fund from the National Health Data System. All active French military personnel aged 18–64 who received outpatient care and to whom drugs were dispensed between January 1, 2019, and April 30, 2021, were included from the French national health database. Rate ratios of dispensed anxiolytics, hypnotics and antidepressants (based on drug reimbursement) were estimated from negative binomial regressions before and after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsThree hundred eighty-one thousand seven hundred eleven individuals were included. Overall, 45,148 military personnel were reimbursed for anxiolytics, 10,637 for hypnotics, and 4328 for antidepressants. Drugs were dispensed at a higher rate in 2020 and 2021 than in 2019. There was a notable peak at the beginning of the first lockdown followed by a decrease limited to the duration of the first lockdown. During the first lockdown only, there were temporary phenomena including a brief increase in drug dispensing during the first week followed by a decrease during the rest of lockdown, possibly corresponding to a stocking-up effect. For the study period overall, while there was a significant downward trend in psychotropic drug dispensing before the occurrence of COVID-19 (p < 0.001), the pandemic period was associated with an increase in dispensed anxiolytics (rate ratio, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02–1.04, p < 0.05), hypnotics (rate ratio, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.11–1.16, p < 0.001) and antidepressants (rate ratio, 1.12; 95% CI, 1.10–1.13, p < 0.001) in the military population.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has probably had a significant impact on the mental health of French military personnel, as suggested by the trends in dispensed psychotropic drugs. The implementation of mental health prevention measures should be investigated for this population.

PREFERENCES OF BEHAVIOR TYPES OF LEADERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR – CASE STUDY MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA

The subject of this paper is to determine the preferred style of leadership behavior in public sector employees. A sample of employees of the Ministry of Defense (hereinafter MoD) was used to conduct the research. The Ministry of Defense, as an extremely organizationally and hierarchically defined entity, is interesting for researching the preferences of leadership style and the leader-follower relationship itself. Numerous leadership studies conducted in this type of organization have not been found in practice, and there is a reported scientific „gap” on this topic. The research aims to determine which the preferred leadership style in the MoD is and whether gender, age, and years of service influence the preferred leadership style and the leader-follower relationship. The empirical research was conducted in 2021 in the Military Social Security Fund of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Serbia on the cause of 51 respondents, using the survey method. The results of the research showed that the preferred leadership style among MoD employees is participatory leadership and that years of service and age have an impact on the choice of the preferred leadership style, as well as on the leader-follower relationship.

ʺImplementation of interactive learning methods in institutions of higher military education during the teaching of the discipline "Military Social Work"

ʺImplementation of interactive learning methods in institutions of higher military education during the teaching of the discipline "Military Social Work"

Military Social Work: Evaluation of Depression and Satisfaction of Life Among Terror Veterans

Bu çalışma terör gazilerinin sosyo-demografik özelliklerini ve depresyon ile yaşam doyumu düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi ortaya koymayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada nicel araştırma tasarımından yararlanılmış olup, araştırmanın örneklemini terörle mücadelede aktif olarak rol alarak eve dönüş yapmış 225 terör gazisi oluşturmaktadır. Veri toplama aracı olarak araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanmış olan yarı-yapılandırılmış sosyo-demografik formdan, Diener ve arkadaşları (1985) tarafından geliştirilmiş yaşam doyumu ölçeğinden ve Beck ve arkadaşları (1961) tarafından hazırlanmış Beck depresyon ölçeğinden yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları incelendiğinde katılımcıların terörle mücadelede aktif olarak görev aldıkları süre ortalaması 5,27 yıl olarak bulunmuş olup katılımcıların %61.3’ü arkadaşının şehit oluşuna; %82.2’si arkadaşının yaralanmasına tanıklık ettiği bulunmuştur. Terör gazilerinin %91.1’i rüyasında silahlı çatışmada yer aldığını gördüğünü, %66.7’si ruh sağlığının terörle mücadeleden olumsuz yönde etkilendiğini belirtmiştir. Katılımcıların depresyon ile yaşam doyumu düzeyleri arasında negatif yönlü anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmuştur. Araştırma bulgularının etkili orduda sosyal hizmet uygulamalarına önemli katkılar sağlayacağı değerlendirilmektedir.

Operation Veterans to Social Workers: A Military Social Work Certificate Program

ABSTRACTService members, Veterans, and their families have special needs for mental health services, but the nation lacks a sufficient pool of social workers competent in military culture. Noting the need for military cultural competency and an increasing number of student Veterans, a graduate school of social work created a military social work training program embedded in an existing MSW program. Operation Veterans to Social Workers (OVSW) were designed to increase culturally competent mental health services to this population by recruiting Veteran MSW students into a Military Social Work certificate program that included a specialized field placement with a trauma-informed clinical focus.

Opinions of Social Work Academicians’ on Military Social Work and The Place and Future of Military Social Work in Social Work Education in Turkey

Bu çalışmada, sosyal hizmet akademisyenlerinin orduda&#x0D; sosyal hizmete ilişkin düşünceleri ve Türkiye’de orduda sosyal hizmet alanının&#x0D; sosyal hizmet eğitimindeki yerine ve geleceğine ilişkin bir çerçeve çizilmesi&#x0D; amaçlanmaktadır. Araştırma, Yükseköğretim Kurumu’na bağlı olarak en az lisans&#x0D; düzeyinde eğitim vermekte olan sosyal hizmet bölümlerinde görev yapan sosyal&#x0D; hizmet akademisyenleri ile tam sayım yöntemi benimsenerek yürütülmüş bir&#x0D; çalışmadır. Araştırmada katılımcılardan yapılandırılmış bir anket formu aracılığıyla&#x0D; veriler toplanmıştır. Bu kapsamda, katılımcıların sosyo-demografik bilgilerinin&#x0D; yanı sıra orduda sosyal hizmet alanına ve sosyal hizmet eğitiminde orduda&#x0D; sosyal hizmet alanının yerine ilişkin düşüncelerini ölçmeye yönelik sorular&#x0D; sorulmuştur. Araştırmanın verileri, 2018 yılında 15 Mart ve 15 Haziran&#x0D; tarihleri arasında elde edilmiş olup veri işleme ve çözümleme aşaması SPSS 22.0&#x0D; aracılığıyla yapılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, katılımcıların %93’ünün orduda&#x0D; sosyal hizmet alanını sosyal hizmet disiplini açısından önemli olarak&#x0D; nitelendirdiği görülmektedir. Bununla birlikte, katılımcıların %87’sinin orduda&#x0D; sosyal hizmet alanının sosyal hizmet eğitiminde yer almasına ilişkin olumlu&#x0D; düşüncelere sahip olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sosyal hizmet disiplini, insanların&#x0D; iyilik halini geliştirmeyi amaçlar ve bu nedenle insanın var olduğu her ortamda&#x0D; bulunmalıdır. Orduda sosyal hizmet alanının var olması ve gelişmesi için de&#x0D; bilgi temelinin güçlendirilmesi gerekmektedir. Dolayısıyla sosyal hizmet&#x0D; akademisyenlerinin bu konuyla ilgili harekete geçmesinin ve orduda sosyal&#x0D; hizmet alanının sosyal hizmet eğitim müfredatlarında yer almasının önemli&#x0D; olduğu düşünülmektedir.&amp;nbsp;

Perceptions of a Military Social Work Specialization Certificate Program: Implications for Future Programs

ABSTRACTMilitary social work certificates, courses, and specializations have emerged to address the need for competent and culturally aware practitioners to serve military and veteran clients. This study evaluates one of these certificate programs surveying 27 previous graduate students and 11 field supervisors affiliated with this program. The majority of the participants endorsed this certificate as a viable means to prepare for practice with these clients. Findings highlight the importance of participants understanding military culture and common psychiatric conditions. Results point to the benefits of future programs teaching this material using real-life case scenarios and addressing veteran benefits, different periods of service, macro content, and complex ethical challenges.

Identifying Aspects of Sameness to Promote Veteran Reintegration with Civilians: Evidence and Implications for Military Social Work.

Identifying Aspects of Sameness to Promote Veteran Reintegration with Civilians: Evidence and Implications for Military Social Work.

Military Veteran Psychological Health and Social Care

Military Veteran Psychological Health and Social Care

A Continuum of Evidence on Evidence-Based Programs: A New Resource for Use in Military Social Service Delivery

ABSTRACTEvidence-based programs can promote well-being; however, barriers to implementation exist. Barriers include lack of time to find evidence and lack of expertise among some practitioners in reading and evaluating evidence. A partnership among the Department of Defense Office of Military Community and Family Policy, the National Institute for Food and Agriculture, and Pennsylvania State University resulted in the development of a new information repository. The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State (Clearinghouse) and the Clearinghouse's Continuum of Evidence (Continuum) were designed to assist professionals in identifying evidence-based programs that can improve the well-being of military families (http://www.militaryfamilies.psu.edu). The development of the Continuum included reviews of existing rating systems, expert review, practical review, and inter-rater agreement checks. The Clearinghouse contains information on over 1,000 programs relevant to both civilian and military families. Topics include parenting, coping and resilience, child behavior, obesity, alcohol and substance use prevention, and mental health treatment; target audiences include children, youth, adults, and families. Empirical evidence and systematized criteria are used to place programs as Effective (Randomized Control Trial), Effective (Quasi-experimental), Promising, Unclear (+), Unclear (ø), Unclear (−), or Ineffective. The Clearinghouse provides information and encourages professionals to make informed decisions based on their needs and resources.

Moral Injury: An Emerging Clinical Construct with Implications for Social Work Education

Moral injury is an emergent clinical concern within the literature examining mental health outcomes among current and former military personnel. Experiences of moral injury include potentially significant psychosocial consequences, highlighting the need for military social work practice to identify and treat it among clients. The objectives of this article are to: (a) describe and raise awareness of the concept of moral injury as a clinical concern for social workers in military practice; (b) advocate for the enhancement of social work competencies and practice behaviors in addressing the psychological and psychosocial needs of service members and veterans experiencing moral injury; and, (c) as research and an evidence-base for practice develops in this field, suggest ways to integrate moral injury in social work curricula based on the Advanced Social Work Practice in Military Social Work document, published by the Council for Social Work Education.

Military Social Work: Opportunities and Challenges for Social Work Education

Military social work is a specialized field of practice spanning the micro–macro continuum and requiring advanced social work knowledge and skills. The complex behavioral health problems and service needs of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans highlight the need for highly trained social work professionals who can provide militarily relevant and culturally responsive evidence-informed services. Responding to the military behavioral health workforce and service needs of recently returned veterans presents both opportunities and challenges for military social work education. This article discusses the rationale for a military social work specialization, the need for military social work education, and opportunities and challenges for social work education. An integrated model of intellectual capital is proposed to guide strategic planning for future military social work education.

Training MSSW Students for Military Social Work Practice and Doctoral Students in Military Resilience Research

The demand for social workers with military-related practice and research experience exceeds the current supply. To advance military social work education, we developed an interlevel master’s of science in social work (MSSW) field practicum and doctoral research practicum that provides military social work field experiences and contributes to doctoral education on military intervention research. Tasked with the primary responsibility of teaching complex resilience concepts to youth participants, the project challenges MSSW students to develop deep knowledge of the material. Assigned the role of project manager of an ongoing intervention study and responsible for performing multiple hands-on research tasks, the project promotes doctoral student research proficiency. Feedback from students suggests that the project supports learning outcomes and enhances motivation to engage in present and future intervention research.

An Intensive Continuing Education Initiative to Train Social Workers for Military Social Work Practice

Specific standards exist for social work practice with service members, military families, and veterans, whether in civilian or military practice settings. Based on these standards, a continuing education certificate for practitioners was designed with companion military social work coursework in the advanced graduate curriculum and field instruction training modules in the undergraduate and graduate programs. This study examined outcomes for 268 participants in the certificate program using a quasi-experimental posttest-only design. The majority demonstrated mastery of advanced practice knowledge and behaviors in each required content area and in the overall certificate program requirements. Findings suggest that implementation of a large-scale, standard-adherent, and self-supporting military social work certificate is feasible and can support sustained evidence-based practice with military populations.

Military Social Work as an Exemplar in Teaching Social Work Competencies

This article is for social work educators unfamiliar with military social work and receptive to a number of exemplars to enhance teaching strategies within their courses. Because examples of military social work are directly tied to the Council on Social Work Education competencies, this article offers a number of suggested teaching strategies regarding those competencies. By incorporating the exemplars into a range of courses as discussion points, students and faculty will become more aware of issues faced by military service members, veterans, and their families. The goal of this article is to alert social work faculty to the actuality that military social work is a rich teaching resource that can be mined to assist in most social work classes.

Letter to the Editor for the Special Issue on Military Social Work

This special issue of the Journal of Social Work Education, which focuses on military and veteran social work, will be beneficial to those working in the social work field, those enrolled in formal...

Social Workers in Combat: Application of Advanced Practice Competencies in Military Social Work and Implications for Social Work Education

This article illustrates the types of situations that U.S. uniformed social workers have experienced in combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with the purpose of preparing current and future social workers to effectively serve military and veteran clients in either military or civilian settings. Vignettes demonstrate the application of the military social work competencies as delineated by the Council on Social Work Education based on the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. Implications for social work education are discussed along with the use of case studies through a problem-based learning approach.