Publication year
2012
Citation Title
Influence of spirituality on depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and suicidality in active duty military personnel.
Journal Name
Depression Research and Treatment
Journal Volume
2012
Page Numbers
1-9
DOI
10.1155/2012/425463
Summary
Active Duty military personnel participated in a study examining the role of spirituality in mental health problems. Researchers tested whether spirituality moderates the relationships among combat exposure, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicidality. High spirituality was a significant protective factor only for depression. Medium levels of spirituality buffered each of the mental health outcomes to some degree.
Key Findings
Overall, spirituality had a positive influence on depression, but not suicidality when controlling for demographic variables, coping behaviors, and combat exposure.
Spirituality buffered depression and PTSD symptoms, but only among those with low to moderate combat exposure.
A medium level of spirituality (relative to a high level) was protective of self-reported suicidal ideation and attempts, but only among those who had never deployed.
Thirty-one percent of the participants met screening criteria for depression, 11% met screening criteria for PTSD, and 6% reported either seriously considering or attempting suicide in the past year.
Implications for Program Leaders
Partner with military chaplains to coordinate services and support each other’s programming for Service members and families who are interested in spiritual activities
Disseminate a list of spirituality resources available in their local area (including both chaplaincy and non-military resources)
Enhance education, activities, and curriculum related to coping behaviors and dealing with issues related to the military lifestyle
Implications for Policy Makers
Encourage family-oriented programs to provide for chaplaincy support before, during, and after deployment to ensure that Service members have resources to support their spiritual needs
Encourage the development and continuation of programs that can promote resilience in Service members, their partners, and children
Recommend professional education including information on military culture for professionals who work with Service members and their families
Methods
Data were derived from a randomly selected group of Active Duty personnel who participated in a large Department of Defense study in 2008 with a response rate of 71%.
Participants completed anonymous self-report questionnaires containing measures of demographic variables, spirituality, combat exposure, coping, depression, PTSD, and suicidal ideation and attempts during onsite visits to worldwide military installations.
Participants were classified as high on spirituality if they reported strongly agree to the 2-item measure of spirituality. They were categorized as low on spirituality if they reported disagree or strongly disagree to both items.
Statistical analyses assessed the prevalence of mental health outcomes by levels of spirituality and combat exposure, and the buffering effect of greater spirituality on the negative mental health effects of combat exposure.
Participants
Participants included 24,690 Active Duty Service members.
Among the sample, 28% were in the Air Force, 27% were in the Navy, 24% were in the Army, and 21% were in the Marine Corps.
Additional demographic data for the sample were not presented.
Limitations
The measure of spirituality consisted of a 2-item measure which may be unreliable and limited in scope of spirituality beliefs and/or practices.
All measures were self-report which may be suceptible to social desirability bias.
The study was cross-sectional, so causal interpretations are not appropriate.
The mental health variables used were screening measures and may not be reflective of actual diagnoses.
Avenues for Future Research
Assess whether the non-deployed group of Service members entered military service with higher levels of suicidal ideation or whether they were deemed ineligible to deploy on mandatory pre-deployment health assessment forms
Explore the relationship between spirituality and mental health among military spouses and other family members
Conduct longitudinal studies to evaluate how reports of spirituality might change over time for Service members who have mulitple deployments
Focus
Multiple Branches
Target Population
Population Focus
Military Branch
Military Component
Abstract
Understanding the role of spirituality as a potential coping mechanism for military personnel is important given growing concern about the mental health issues of personnel returning from war. This study seeks to determine the extent to which spirituality is associated with selected mental health problems among active duty military personnel and whether it moderates the relationship between combat exposure/deployment and (a) depression, (b) posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and (c) suicidality in active duty military personnel. Data were drawn from the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health Related Behaviors Among Active Duty Military Personnel. Over 24,000 randomly selected active duty personnel worldwide completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire. High spirituality had a significant protective effect only for depression symptoms. Medium, as opposed to high or low, levels of spirituality buffered each of the mental health outcomes to some degree. Medium and low spirituality levels predicted depression symptoms but only among those with moderate combat exposure. Medium spirituality levels also predicted PTSD symptoms among those with moderate levels of combat exposure and predicted self-reported suicidal ideation/attempt among those never deployed. These results point to the complex relationship between spirituality and mental health, particularly among military personnel and the need for further research.
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