Sample Of Military Personnel Research Articles

Examining the Discrepancy between Subjective Cognitive Complaints and Processing Speed Performance in Military Personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury.

To examine correlates of the discrepancy between subjective cognitive complaints and processing speed performance in a sample of military personnel with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI). About 235U.S. military service members (31 noninjured controls [NIC], 69 injured controls [IC], 70 uncomplicated mild TBI [mTBI], and 65 complicated mild/moderate/severe TBI [sTBI]) prospectively enrolled in a longitudinal TBI study completed neuropsychological testing, performance validity tests, and self-report measures of cognitive complaints and psychological symptoms. Service members were categorized as "Accurate Estimators," "Underestimators," and "Overestimators" based on discrepancies between their subjective cognition and processing speed performance. The NIC group was less likely to underestimate their cognitive abilities than the mTBI group (p < .05). Discrepancy groups significantly differed in processing speed scores (p < .001), with underestimators demonstrating the best objective cognitive performance. Spearman correlations revealed significant positive correlations between unadjusted discrepancy scores and psychological symptoms in the NIC, IC, and sTBI groups (ps < 0.05) but not the mTBI group (ps > 0.05). In contrast, discrepancy scores adjusted for premorbid intelligence were consistently and positively correlated with psychological symptoms across all injury groups (ps < 0.05). Findings suggest that mTBI injuries may increase the likelihood of a patient underestimating their cognitive performance. Further, premorbid cognitive functioning is an important factor in evaluating discrepancies in self-reported cognitive complaints and processing speed performance.

Attention Control Measures Improve the Prediction of Performance in Navy Trainees

ABSTRACTMilitary selection tests leave room for improvement when predicting work‐relevant outcomes. We tested whether measures of attention control, working memory capacity, and fluid intelligence improved the prediction of training success above and beyond composite scores used by the U.S. Military. For student air traffic controllers, commonality analyses revealed that attention control explained 9.1% (R = .30) of the unique variance in academic performance, whereas the Armed Forces Qualification Test explained 5.2% (r = .23) of the unique variance. For student naval aviators, incremental validity estimates were small and nonsignificant. For student naval flight officers, commonality analyses revealed that attention control measures explained 11.8% (R = .34) of the unique variance in aviation preflight indoctrination training performance and 4.3% (R = .21) of the unique variance in flight performance. Although these point estimates are based on relatively small samples, they provide preliminary evidence that attention control measures might improve training outcome classification accuracy in real‐world samples of military personnel.

Mindfulness Training in High-Demand Cohorts Alters Resting-State Electroencephalography: An Exploratory Investigation of Individual Alpha Frequency, Aperiodic 1/f Activity, and Microstates

BackgroundMindfulness training (MT) programs have demonstrated utility as cognitive training tools, but there is little consensus on the neurophysiological processes that may underlie its benefits. It has been posited that intrinsic brain activity recorded at rest reflects the functional connectivity of large-scale brain networks and may provide insight into neuroplastic changes that support MT. In the current study, we indexed changes in several resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) parameters to investigate the neurophysiological underpinnings of MT. MethodsResting-state EEG data were collected from active-duty U.S. military personnel (N = 80) at 2 testing sessions: before (time [T] 1) and after (T2) engaging in an 8-week MT or active comparison intervention (positivity training). We examined longitudinal and/or groupwise differences in several EEG parameters through parameterization of power spectra (individual alpha frequency and 1/f activity) and microstate analysis. ResultsWhile no significant group × time differences were observed in individual alpha frequency, significant group × time effects were observed in several EEG parameters from T1 to T2. Compared with MT, positivity training was associated with a steepening of the 1/f slope and higher 1/f intercepts together with decreased duration and increased global field power of microstates. ConclusionsTaken together, these results suggest that the effects of interventions may be differentiated in resting-state brain activity in a sample of military personnel. Such findings provide insight into the neural underpinnings of MT-related brain changes, but more research is required to elucidate how these may relate to task-related neural and performance changes with MT and whether results generalize to other mindfulness interventions in alternative cohorts and contexts.

Evaluation of health literacy and its predictive formative factors among Spanish military personnel

ABSTRACT Health literacy (HL) is an aspect that has been widely studied. However, in the military population there are hardly any studies on the influence of educational variables. Knowing the level of health literacy of military professionals is important as it has an impact on adequate health decision making, avoids the abuse of health services and makes it possible to ask for help when needed, especially in aspects related to mental health. The aim of this study was to measure the level of literacy, as well as its association with other training variables in a sample of military personnel. The study was carried out in 695 military personnel of the Spanish Army. A cross-sectional observational design was used, using a survey with the HLS-EU-Q47 scale. Among the results, it stands out that the level of health literacy of the military is high compared to the rest of the population. The results showed that the level of HL does not seem to be influenced by the level of languages, nor by the degree they hold, nor by experiences abroad. On the other hand, it was observed that the performance of professional internships and work in multidisciplinary teams, extracurricular training, does influence the level of HL, especially in the dimension related to health promotion. This fact seems to mean that the military have learned during these experiences to keep abreast of health-related issues, to understand, to value and to form a considered opinion on health-related information.

Medical and social criteria for predicting the employment of disabled people due to military trauma

Background. Employment and occupation are important areas of social policy in the system of rehabilitation of the disabled people. Servicemen of working age are an active and able-bodied part of the population, however, when a disability is established, they develop problems associated with social maladaptation.&#x0D; Aim. Development of criteria for assessing the social and labor prognosis of disabled military service due to military injury.&#x0D; Material and methods. A cross-sectional study by the method of random non-repetitive selection was carried out. From a population of 1,618 disabled due to military injury who were re-examined at the Bureau of Medical and Social Expertise of the Republic of Dagestan in the period 20142019, a sample of military personnel with a disability due to the consequences of a military injury (n=90) was formed and divided into two groups. The criterion for dividing into groups was the motivation for labor activity. The first group included 28 disabled people who worked after their disability was established and were characterized by positive motivation to work. The second group included 62 disabled people who were not working at the time of the survey and were characterized by negative and indefinite motivation to work. Disabled people of both groups were subjected to a questionnaire survey based on the original questionnaire Medical-expert indicators of the vital activity of disabled military service due to military injury, characterizing the state of life and the needs of disabled people due to military injury developed by us. A comparative statistical analysis of the selected groups on a set of social and hygienic indicators of military personnel with disabilities due to military injury was carried out by testing statistical hypotheses using nonparametric Pearsons 2 test and Fishers exact test. The ranking of the studied indicators according to the degree of their influence on the result of employment was performed using the algorithm of classification trees. A set of 7 features that are most closely related to the result of employment were identified, which were used to calculate the indicator of social and labor forecast. The calculated threshold value of the indicator of social and labor prognosis made it possible to discriminate military personnel with disabilities due to military injury into two groups associated with high and low employment opportunities.&#x0D; Results. The length of stay on disability from 1 to 4 years characterized more than half of working disabled people and only a quarter of non-working people (64.3 and 22.6%, respectively; 2=14.64; p 0.001); 21.4% of working disabled people and 2 times more (45.2%) non-working people (2=4.62; p=0.032) were on disability from 5 to 10 years. In the working group, the overwhelming majority (92.9%) had clear ideas about the need for work to restore their health, which could not be said about the disabled from the group of non-working disabled (27.4%; 2=33.1; р 0.001). A significant association of motivation to work with the age structure of disabled people due to military trauma has been established. The youngest age category (1839 years) in 67.9% of cases was characteristic of disabled people with positive motivation to work, while in groups with uncertain and negative motivation it was statistically significantly less common 26.7 and 6.5% (p=0.0017 and p 0.001, respectively). A relationship between the motivation to work and the assessment of ones own labor opportunities was established: 67.9% with a positive attitude to work were characterized by adequate self-assessment, which distinguished this group from the other two (p 0.001). Significant differences in the structure of the severity of their psychoorganic syndrome were revealed. A pronounced degree of psychoorganic syndrome was determined in every fourth disabled person with negative motivation to work (25.0%), while in disabled people with positive and indefinite motivation it was absent (p 0.01).&#x0D; Conclusion. The most priority indicators involved in the formation of a social and labor forecast were the duration of disability, motivation to work, age, the severity of the psychoorganic syndrome, self-assessment of professional abilities, timely career guidance and information work with disabled people, limiting the ability to self-service.

Здоровьесберегающее поведение специалистов экстремального профиля как фактор предупреждения развития профессионального выгорания

The article discusses the results of a study devoted to identifying the relationship between health-saving behavior and professional burnout of extreme specialists. The study involved 64 people who were divided into two groups. The first group included 31 military personnel of the missile forces, with an average age of 28.5 years and an average experience in the profession of 5.4 years. The second group included 33 firefighters, the average age of 31.5 years and the average experience in the profession of 5.5 years. The study revealed no significant differences in the indicators of methods that identify the severity of professional burnout symptoms, and the indicators of methods that determine of health-saving behavior components formation. The sample of military personnel and firefighters participating in the study is characterized by a low and average level of severity of professional burnout symptoms and an average, close to high level of components of health-saving behavior formation. Analysis of the elements of the health concept indicates that the majority of respondents soldiers and firefighters tend to give a positive rating for their health, to give it an important place in their system of values and to be considered the main criterion of its existence the happiness feeling; characterized by professionals for taking care of their health, learning new ways of protecting and maintaining that primarily implemented through the formation of a healthy lifestyle. The results of mathematical and statistical processing of empirical data showed the presence of a relationship between the components of HSB and professional burnout. Thus, the hypothesis of the relationship between the indicators of the attitudes and patterns of health-saving behavior formation and the severity of professional burnout in extreme specialists was confirmed. The revealed patterns will be useful in the development of programs aimed at preserving the professional health of extreme specialists with the inclusion of health-saving behavior patterns as targets of correctional work.

Relationships Between Arch Height Flexibility and Medial–Lateral Ground Reaction Forces in Rearfoot and Forefoot Strike Runners

Higher medial-lateral forces have been reported in individuals with stiffer foot arches. However, this was in a small sample of military personnel who ran with a rearfoot strike pattern. Therefore, our purpose was to investigate whether runners, both rearfoot and forefoot strikers, show different associations between medial-lateral forces and arch stiffness. A group of 118 runners (80 rearfoot strikers and 38 forefoot strikers) were recruited. Ground reaction force data were collected during running on an instrumented treadmill. Arch flexibility was assessed as the difference in arch height from sitting to standing positions, and participants were classified into stiff/flexible groups. Group comparisons were performed for the ratio of medial:vertical and lateral:vertical impulses. In rearfoot strikers, runners with stiff arches demonstrated significantly higher medial:vertical impulse ratios (P = .036). Forefoot strikers also demonstrated higher proportions of medial forces; however, the mean difference did not reach statistical significance (P = .084). No differences were detected in the proportion of lateral forces between arch flexibility groups. Consistent with previous findings in military personnel, our results indicate that recreational runners with stiffer arches have a higher proportion of medial forces. Therefore, increasing foot flexibility may increase the ability to attenuate medial forces.

Military maximizers: Examining the effect of individual differences in maximization on military decision-making

The present study investigates the role maximization plays in explaining individual differences in decision-making in high-uncertainty situations. There is a wealth of evidence that maximization affects decision-making, yet the types of decisions that have been studied have been consumer-focused. Despite the known importance of maximization, the boundaries of maximization have not been explored. This research extends the study of maximization by evidencing that individual differences in maximization influence decision-making with a sample of military personnel (n = 287) when they make both military (domain specific) and non-military (domain general) decisions. Furthermore, taxometric analysis allowed the researchers to explore the latent structure of maximization, identifying that it can also be conceptualized as a categorical (rather than a traditionally continuous) variable. Overall, high maximizers found decisions more difficult, were slower to choose an option and decide. These findings are in accord with a wealth of previous research on the effects of maximization, but demonstrate that the effect of maximization extends to applied decision-making with applied samples who make decisions in high-uncertainty situations. These findings have important theoretical implications for the study of maximization and the study of decision-making under uncertainty, as well as applied implications for issues such as personnel selection.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Brief Acupuncture Intervention for Service Members with Perceived Stress.

Given the role of perceived stress in disability and suicidality in the military, intervening early before service members become at risk for severe injuries, hospitalizations, and chronic disability could improve health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore the feasibility and acceptability of a standardized stress acupuncture (SSA) approach on perceived stress in U.S. military personnel. This study had the following aims: examine feasibility of recruitment for SSA and implementation of study procedures in preparation for a methodologically rigorous study; examine acceptability of SSA treatment in a sample of military personnel with perceived stress; and examine change in perceived stress and general health before and after SSA. This was a single-arm, single-site study protocol which assessed the feasibility of SSA in 16 patients with perceived stress. Upon IRB approval and written informed consent, the participants received 4 weekly sessions of SSA which consisted of 6 acupuncture points. This study showed that recruitment and implementation of SSA is feasible in service members. Service members found SSA to be acceptable. Statistically significant increases were found on the energy/fatigue, well-being, and social functioning components of the Short Form Health Survey (SF 36) (reliable change: 50%, 56%, and 25% respectively, Cohen's d = 0.72-0.78, all p < 0.05). A statistically significant decrease in perceived stress based was found on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (reliable change 63%, Cohen's d = 1.03, p = 0.001). These results suggest that SSA is a feasible and acceptable treatment for perceived stress in military personnel. Preliminary findings suggest that SSA may be useful in improving energy/fatigue, social functioning, and perceived stress of service members.

Moral Injury, Substance Use, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Military Personnel: An Examination of Trait Mindfulness as a Moderator.

Mindfulness-based approaches have been suggested as possible methods to treat moral injury in military personnel. However, empirical research has yet to evaluate if mindfulness acts as a protective factor for the possible negative effects of moral injury, such as alcohol use, drug use, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. In this study, we investigated if five facets of mindfulness (i.e., observing, nonjudging, nonreactivity, awareness, and describing) moderated associations between moral injury and the outcomes of PTSD symptoms, alcohol misuse, and drug abuse symptoms in a sample of military personnel. Participants were 244 military personnel (the majority were former military members) who had been deployed at least once during the Iraq War, War in Afghanistan, other wars, or humanitarian missions. The study results indicated that nonjudging, β = -.22, and awareness, β = -.25, had significant attenuating effects on the association between moral injury and drug abuse symptoms. However, observing, β = .17; nonreactivity, β = .23; and describing, β = .15, had significant synergistic effects (i.e., they strengthened the association between moral injury and drug abuse symptoms). There were no significant moderation effects on the associations between moral injury and PTSD symptoms or between moral injury and alcohol misuse. Our results provide initial evidence that not all facets of mindfulness may protect against the challenges of coping with moral injury. Directions for future research and implications for practice are discussed.

Risk-Taking and Sensation Seeking in Military Contexts: A Literature Review

The article is based on a literature review of studies covering risk-taking and sensation seeking within military contexts over a time span of 3 decades from 1983 to 2015. Literature was gathered through a four-stage search procedure identifying 25 studies of risk-taking and 16 studies of sensation seeking altogether. Because warfare and military conflicts are dangerous and risky pursuits, one could imagine there being a lot of empirical research about risk-taking and sensation seeking in the military. We have found this not to be the case. The research is both small in volume and scattered when it comes to use of theories, methods, and samples of military personnel. In general, there seem to be few clear research paradigms. The results of the empirical studies show that there are adaptive as well as nonadaptive forms of risk-taking in relation to military situations. Similarly, military personnel scoring high on sensation seeking possess certain advantages, for instance, dealing with stress and risk, yet may also cause problems of various kinds. The review ends by pointing out implications for research and practice.

Research on Institutional Affirmation Factor Based on Structural Equation Model

The affirmation of the country’s existing system by the nationals is the basic element and an important manifestation of national security. As an important force for safeguarding national security and social stability, the military's national defense education is far different from the locality in terms of breadth and depth, and its functional mission makes the group have higher political awareness requirements. Therefore, the hypothesis of this paper is that the affirmative factor of the military group is significantly better than that of the non-military group. By selecting samples of military personnel or former military personnel in China's Comprehensive Social Survey (CGSS), and randomly extracting the same number of non-military samples, a structural equation model was constructed to analyze the differences and internal mechanisms. The results show that this hypothesis is established, and there is a strong correlation between government satisfaction factors and institutional affirmative factors. Life satisfaction, social attitudes and political attitude factors also affect system security to some extent.

Reliability, validation and norms of the Chinese version of Anxiety Sensitivity Index 3 in a sample of military personnel.

This study aimed to explore the properties of the Chinese version of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index– 3 (ASI-3) in a sample of military personnel. Using non-probabilistic sampling, the Chinese version of the ASI-3 was administered to 3,077 valid participants aged 16 to 36 years old (M = 22.35, SD = 3.57) from nine military units. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess the construct validity. A one-way analysis of variance was conducted to compare the differences in the services and positions of the participants. It was found that ①The indices of confirmatory factor analysis met the standard values, which supported the hypothesis of the three-factor model of the original ASI-3; ②ASI-3 was significantly associated with DASS-21 in positive ways, which indicated the high convergent validity; on the other hand, the correlation between ASI-3 and TAI was relatively low, which indicated there was an empirical discrimination between anxiety sensitivity and trait anxiety. ③The Cronbach’s α coefficients were 0.926 for the total scale and 0.828–0.841 for the three subscales; ④At a cut-off score of 16, the sensitivity and specificity levels were 71.1% and 76.7%, respectively, where the sum of sensitivity and specificity becomes the maximum, accompanied with improvement of PPV and NPV; ⑤There were significant findings in the ASI and subscales among the five services and four positions. This study provides new evidence that the Chinese version of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 has good validity and reliability and could be applied as an effective tool to assess anxiety sensitivity in military personnel. Our recommendations to researchers and practitioners are that the three factor model should be replicated across some different special forces and the items and constructs could be modified on Chinese culture.

Prevalence of patellofemoral pain and knee pain in the general population of Chinese young adults: a community-based questionnaire survey

BackgroundPrevious studies that have described the prevalence of patellofemoral pain (PFP) have been limited to samples of military personnel or sporting populations, and convincing data in the general Chinese population are lacking. The present study defined the prevalence of PFP and knee pain in the general population of Chinese young adults and evaluated whether gender, age, or body mass index (BMI) were associated with PFP.MethodsAn anonymous online questionnaire survey was open to the general public in China. A self-report questionnaire was used to specifically identify PFP. The population aged 18–40 years was enrolled in the study and completed the questionnaire. The prevalence of PFP and knee pain in the overall sample and in subgroups stratified by sex, age, and BMI was estimated. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine if there was a significant association between PFP and sex, age, or BMI.ResultsA total of 1153 participants were enrolled in the study. The prevalence of PFP in the overall sample and among the male and female participants was 20.7, 20.3, and 21.2%, respectively. The prevalence of the knee pain in the overall sample and among the male and female participants was 35.6, 38.2, and 33.7%, respectively. The prevalence of PFP in the subgroups stratified by age and BMI did not differ significantly between the groups. Gender, age, and BMI did not have significant associations with the prevalence of PFP.ConclusionPFP is common in the general Chinese population. Clinicians should direct more attention toward the early diagnosis of and interventions for PFP.

HIV and Syphilis Prevalence and Associated Risks in the Cameroonian Armed Forces.

Continued surveillance of the HIV epidemic is critical to monitor changes in trends and risk behaviors. A 2005 study in the Cameroonian Armed Forces (CAF) found an HIV prevalence of 11.3% among male and female service members. The purpose of the current study is to determine the 5-year change in the HIV prevalence, estimate the prevalence of syphilis, and examine factors associated with infection in the CAF. Participants were male and female service members 18 years of age or older who were stationed at one of the 10 military garrisons selected for participation. The military garrisons included in this study were proportionally representative of the CAF by geographic region. Military companies and individuals within the selected garrisons were randomly chosen to participate in the study. Demographic and behavioral risk data were collected from September-November 2011 using personal interviews. Blood was collected for HIV and syphilis testing. Of 2,523 participants tested, 6.0% screened positive for HIV [includes 5.3% who screened positive for HIV only and 0.7% who screened positive for both HIV and syphilis], and 3.1% screened positive for syphilis only. Analyses examining risk factors associated with HIV/syphilis infection (i.e., infected with HIV, infected with syphilis, or co-infected with both HIV and syphilis) were restricted to 2,255 men who reported ever having sex. In a multivariate logistic regression model, the odds of testing positive for HIV/syphilis were higher among men who were separated, divorced, or widowed (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.24-7.89), had sex with sex workers (AOR=1.64, 95% CI: 1.19-2.27), and reported a genital sore/ulcer in the past 12 months preceeding the survey (AOR=1.73, 95% CI: 1.05-2.86). Higher HIV knowledge was protective against HIV/syphilis infection (AOR=0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.99). While the overall HIV prevalence in this sample of military personnel was lower than previously reported (6.0% [95% CI: 5.12-6.97] in 2011 vs. 11.3% [95% CI: 10.01-12.68] in 2005; confidence intervals do not overlap), several factors associated with HIV/syphilis infection were identified including being separated, divorced, or widowed, having sex with a sex worker, and reporting a genital sore/ulcer in the past 12 months. HIV and syphilis education among all military personnel as they enter service and proceed forward is important to reinforce prevention methods and practices.

Validation of a Tablet Application for Assessing Dietary Intakes Compared with the Measured Food Intake/Food Waste Method in Military Personnel Consuming Field Rations.

The collection of accurate dietary intakes using traditional dietary assessment methods (e.g., food records) from military personnel is challenging due to the demanding physiological and psychological conditions of training or operations. In addition, these methods are burdensome, time consuming, and prone to measurement errors. Adopting smart-phone/tablet technology could overcome some of these barriers. The objective was to assess the validity of a tablet app, modified to contain detailed nutritional composition data, in comparison to a measured food intake/waste method. A sample of Canadian Armed Forces personnel, randomized to either a tablet app (n = 9) or a weighed food record (wFR) (n = 9), recorded the consumption of standard military rations for a total of 8 days. Compared to the gold standard measured food intake/waste method, the difference in mean energy intake was small (−73 kcal/day for tablet app and −108 kcal/day for wFR) (p > 0.05). Repeated Measures Bland-Altman plots indicated good agreement for both methods (tablet app and wFR) with the measured food intake/waste method. These findings demonstrate that the tablet app, with added nutritional composition data, is comparable to the traditional dietary assessment method (wFR) and performs satisfactorily in relation to the measured food intake/waste method to assess energy, macronutrient, and selected micronutrient intakes in a sample of military personnel.

Do Military Personnel “Acquire” the Capability for Suicide From Combat? A Test of the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicide

The interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide has been the focus of considerable empirical investigation over the past decade. However, little research has focused on the theory’s proposition that the capability for suicide is “acquired” as a consequence of exposure to painful and provocative experiences such as violence, aggression, and trauma. To determine if capability for suicide is “acquired” over time, we conducted a prospective study of 168 military personnel deployed to Iraq. Capability scores remained stable over the course of 2 years from pre- to postdeployment, even among military personnel reporting high combat exposure. Significant positive correlations among capability and combat exposure were comparable both before and after deployment. These findings suggest that capability for suicide was not “acquired” following combat exposure in this sample of military personnel. Capability was, instead, a stable construct.

Individual Differences in Diving: Intelligence, Personality, and Underwater Adaptation

Diving is an activity that is carried out in an extreme environment with extraordinary psychophysical demands. It requires the divers to undergo an adaptive process in order to survive, to be able to take advantage of their capabilities, and to achieve an efficient performance. In this ex post facto study, data from a sample of military personnel participating in scuba diving courses (N = 649) were analyzed. Our aim was to verify the role of individual differences in the adaptation to an extreme and hostile environment. The results indicate the existence of psychological variables that differentiate between divers and the general population, those who pass or fail the diving course, and between groups of divers who obtain differential levels of performance in underwater tasks. These findings support that dispositional characteristics have utility for the identification of suitable personnel for professional diving.

Incremental Validity of Personality Measures in Predicting Underwater Performance and Adaptation.

Intelligence and personality traits are currently considered effective predictors of human behavior and job performance. However, there are few studies about their relevance in the underwater environment. Data from a sample of military personnel performing scuba diving courses were analyzed with regression techniques, testing the contribution of individual differences and ascertaining the incremental validity of the personality in an environment with extreme psychophysical demands. The results confirmed the incremental validity of personality traits (ΔR 2 = .20, f 2 = .25) over the predictive contribution of general mental ability (ΔR 2 = .07, f 2 = .08) in divers' performance. Moreover, personality (R(L)2 = .34) also showed a higher validity to predict underwater adaptation than general mental ability ( R(L)2 = .09). The ROC curve indicated 86% of the maximum possible discrimination power for the prediction of underwater adaptation, AUC = .86, p < .001, 95% CI (.82-.90). These findings confirm the shift and reversal of incremental validity of dispositional traits in the underwater environment and the relevance of personality traits as predictors of an effective response to the changing circumstances of military scuba diving. They also may improve the understanding of the behavioral effects and psychophysiological complications of diving and can also provide guidance for psychological intervention and prevention of risk in this extreme environment.

Examining the relationship between coping strategies and suicidal desire in a sample of United States military personnel

Suicidal desire in the military has been previously examined through the lens of the Interpersonal–Psychological Theory of Suicide (IPTS). However, no research has examined the impact of specific coping strategies on perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness, and suicidal ideation in a large population of individuals serving in the US military. Furthermore, the factor structure of previously utilized coping clusters did not apply to our sample of military personnel. Therefore, we found a three-factor solution to be tested in this sample. We hypothesized that specific types of coping behavior clusters (Adaptive and Maladaptive) would predict both IPTS constructs and suicidal ideation. Results indicated that Adaptive and Maladaptive coping clusters predicted the IPTS constructs in the hypothesized directions. However, only the Maladaptive cluster predicted suicidal ideation. These findings implicate the need for further research and suicide prevention efforts focusing on coping strategies, specifically those that are maladaptive in nature, in relation to suicidal ideation in military members.