Resilience as a Protective Factor in Basic Military Training, a Longitudinal Study of the Swiss Armed Forces

Sefidan, Sandra; Pramstaller, Maria; La Marca, Roberto; Wyss, Thomas; Sadeghi-Bahmani, Dena; Annen, Hubert; Brand, Serge (2021). Resilience as a Protective Factor in Basic Military Training, a Longitudinal Study of the Swiss Armed Forces International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11) MDPI 10.3390/ijerph18116077

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For recruits, basic military training (BMT) can be experienced as a stressful episode in which relevant protective factors such as resilience might be essential for successful completion of the training. The present study examined whether resilience would act as a protective factor during BMT in the Swiss Armed Forces. To this end, we conducted a cross-sectional and longitudinal study of resilience and psychological burden. At the beginning of the BMT and at week 11, 525 male recruits (mean age: 20.3 years) completed a series of questionnaires covering demographic information and assessing resilience, perceived stress and mental distress. In parallel, their superiors rated recruits' military performance in week 13. Dropout rates were also registered. Cross-sectionally and longitudinally, higher resilience scores predicted lower scores for perceived stress, mental distress, and better military performance. Higher self-rated resilience was moderately associated with military performance, as rated by recruits' superiors. Resilience scores, perceived stress and mental distress did not differ between those recruits continuing their BMT and dropouts. In support of our assumptions, resilience acted as a protective factor during Swiss Armed Forces BMT.

Item Type:	Journal Article (Original Article)
Division/Institute:	Swiss Federal Institute of Sports Magglingen SFISM
Name:	Sefidan, Sandra; Pramstaller, Maria; La Marca, Roberto; Wyss, Thomas; Sadeghi-Bahmani, Dena; Annen, Hubert and Brand, Serge
ISSN:	1660-4601
Publisher:	MDPI
Language:	English
Submitter:	Service Account
Date Deposited:	29 Sep 2022 13:55
Last Modified:	29 Sep 2022 13:55
Publisher DOI:	10.3390/ijerph18116077
PubMed ID:	34199958
Uncontrolled Keywords:	dropout; mental distress; perceived stress; performance; resilience
ARBOR DOI:	10.24451/arbor.16834
URI:	https://arbor.bfh.ch/id/eprint/16834