Leadership, Cohesion, Morale, and the Mental Health of UK Armed Forces in Afghanistan

Citations Over TimeTop 10% of 2012 papers

Abstract

UK Armed Forces (AF) personnel deployed to Afghanistan are frequently exposed to intense combat and yet little is known about the short-term mental health consequences of this exposure and the potential mitigating effects of military factors such as cohesion, morale, and leadership. To assess the possible modulating influence of cohesion, morale, and leadership on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and common mental disorders resulting from combat exposure among UK AF personnel deployed to Afghanistan, UK AF personnel, during their deployment to Afghanistan in 2010, completed a self-report survey about aspects of their current deployment, including perceived levels of cohesion, morale, leadership, combat exposure, and their mental health status. Outcomes were symptoms of common mental disorder and symptoms of PTSD. Combat exposure was associated with both PTSD symptoms and symptoms of common mental disorder. Of the 1,431 participants, 17.1% reported caseness levels of common mental disorder, and 2.7% were classified as probable PTSD cases. Greater self-reported levels of unit cohesion, morale, and perceived good leadership were all associated with lower levels of common mental disorder and PTSD. Greater levels of unit cohesion, morale, and good leadership may help to modulate the effects of combat exposure and the subsequent development of mental health problems among UK Armed Forces personnel deployed to Afghanistan.

Related Papers

• → The effects of child encounters during military deployments on the well-being of military personnel: a systematic review(2022)10 cited
• → Self-reported pain or injury from equipment used on military deployment(2021)2 cited
• → Military Personnel Ratings of a Deployment and Their Positive and Negative Deployment Experiences(2020)5 cited
• The Impact of Deployment History on the Well-Being of Military Personnel(1999)
• → Deployment Limiting Mental Health Conditions in US Military Personnel Deployed to Combat Theaters: Predictors of Theater Mental Health Evacuation(2015)5 cited