Journal List > J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs > v.22(4) > 1057984

Kim, Keum, Kim, Park, and Park: Military Stress, Stress Coping, and Mental Health Status among Soldiers who Need Intensive Care

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to explore the level of military stress, stress coping, and mental health status and to identify the relationships among these variables in soldiers who need intensive care.

Methods

The participants were 113 perceived maladjusted soldiers who participated in Green-camp from one army base in Gyeong-gi Province. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires and analyzed with the SPSS-WIN 20.0 program. The instruments were the Military Stress Inventory, Ways of Coping Checklist, and Symptoms Checklist- 90-Revision (SCL-90-R).

Results

The level of stress was 3.6±0.70, overall stress coping was 1.1±0.41, and mental health status was 1.5±0.93. There were significant differences in stress, stress coping, and mental health status according religion, economic status of family, prospects for the future, persons with whom one could talk about troubles. The group with higher emotion focused coping had significantly higher scores on mental health status. There were significant positive correlations among major variables. Military stress was a significant predictor of mental health status (Adjusted R2 21.0%).

Conclusion

Based on the findings of this study, stress management and intervention programs focusing on depression are highly recommended to manage maladaptive problems in soldiers.

Figures and Tables

Table 1
General Characteristics of Participants (N=113)
jkapmhn-22-285-i001
Table 2
Level of Stress, Stress Coping and Mental Health Status (N=113)
jkapmhn-22-285-i002
Table 3
Differences in Stress, Stress Coping and Mental Health Status by Characteristics (N=113)
jkapmhn-22-285-i003

Scheffé test; Including corporal.

Table 4
Correlation among Variables (N=113)
jkapmhn-22-285-i004
Table 5
Influence of Stress on Mental Health Status (N=113)
jkapmhn-22-285-i005

Notes

This research was supported by National Research Foundation of Korea (No. 2011-0029113).

References

1. Boxer P, Sloan-Power E, Mercado I, Schappell A. Coping with stress, coping with violence: Links to mental health outcomes among at-risk youth. J Psychopathol Behav Assess. 2012; 34:405–414.
crossref
2. Derogatis LR, Rickels K, Rock AF. The SCL-90-R and the MMPI: A step in the validation of a new self-report scale. Br J Psychiatry. 1976; 128:280–289.
crossref
3. Faul F, Erdfelder E, Buchner A, Lang AG. Statistical power analyses using G* Power 3.1: Tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behav Res Methods. 2009; 41:1149–1160.
crossref
4. Fielden JS. Review: Management of adjustment disorder in the deployed setting. Mil Med. 2012; 177:1022–1027.
crossref
5. Hourani LL, Williams TV, Kress AM. Stress, mental health and job performance among active duty military personnel: Findings from the 2002 Department of Defense Health-Related Behaviors Survey. Mil Med. 2006; 171:849–856.
crossref
6. Hyun MS, Chung HI, Kang HS. Influencing factors on military adaptation among Korean soldiers. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2009; 18:305–312.
7. Hyun MS, Kang HS, Nam KA. Mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between irrational belief and mental health of Korean soldiers. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2010; 19:252–260.
crossref
8. Jang KS. The influencing factors of adjusting to military life for new generation soldiers based on self-esteem and stress. Seoul: Soongsil University;2008. Unpublished master's thesis.
9. Jang S. The army of regulation and control and the soldiers of resistance and despair. Korean Lit Theory Criticism. 2008; 40:259–282.
10. Jeung SY, Lee DG. Psychological characteristics of soldiers at suicide risk. Korean J Couns. 2011; 12:897–914.
crossref
11. Kim JH. Relations of perceived stress, cognitive set, and coping behaviors to depression. Seoul: Seoul National University;1987. Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
12. Kim KI, Kim JH, Won HT. Symptom checklist procedure manual. Seoul: Chungang Jeoksung Publishing;1984.
13. Kim KI, Won HT, Lee JH, Kim KY. Standardization study of Symptom Check List-90 in Korea I: Characteristics of normal responses. J Korean Neuropsychiatr Assoc. 1978; 17:449–458.
14. Kim S, Kim H, Keum R, Noh D. Factors affecting on suicidal ideation in maladjusted soldiers. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2013; 22:117–127.
crossref
15. Kim S, Kim H, Woo CH, Park SI, Keum R. Communication abilities, interpersonal relationship, anxiety, and depression in Korean soldiers. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2011; 20:81–90.
crossref
16. Koo S. A study on mental health of new generation soldiers. Ment Health Soc Work. 2006; 24:64–93.
17. Lee JH. The feasibility study of the measurement variables of mental health and stress in industrial manpower. Seoul: Korea Productivity Center;1993.
18. Lazarus RS, Folkman S. Stress, appraisal, and coping. New York: Springer;1984.
19. Military Manpower Administration. 2012 Military statistical yearbook (No. 42). Daejeon: Author;2013.
20. Park HC. A study on the quality of life improvement of soldier: Focusing on the stressor, social support. Seoul: Yonsei University;2001. Unpublished master's thesis.
21. Rao JV, Chandraiah K. Occupational stress, mental health and coping among information technology professionals. Indian J Occup Environ Med. 2012; 16(1):22–26.
crossref
22. Rodríguez JR, Quioñes-Maldonado R, Alvarado-Pomales A. Military suicide: Factors that need to be taken into consideration to understand the phenomena. Bol Asoc Med P R. 2009; 101(3):33–41.
23. Seo M, Choi BY, Jo HI. The effect of life stress, stress coping, and social support on mental health. Korean J Couns. 2006; 7:271–288.
24. Sung MH, Yoon JW, Son HY. A study of the relationship between stressful life events and mental health in middle-aged women. J Korean Acad Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs. 2005; 14:186–194.
TOOLS
Similar articles