Unit training to increase support for military personnel with mental health problems

ABSTRACT

The present study examined the effectiveness of training designed to increase support toward military personnel with mental health problems. Soldiers from two Battalions (N = 349) were randomly assigned by squad to receive the training (n = 179) or to a survey-only control group (n = 170). Soldiers completed survey assessments at baseline and three months later. Soldiers also completed an implicit association test assessing attitudes toward mental health treatment at the three-month follow-up. Results revealed that soldiers in the training condition reported an increase in supportive behaviours toward soldiers with mental health problems three months following the training, whereas there was no increase in soldiers assigned to the control group. Soldiers in the training condition were also marginally more likely to increase their own treatment seeking in the three months following the training. Discussion focuses on the importance of unit member support for military personnel with mental health problems and the implications for employees in other occupations characterised by the expectation for resilience.

KEYWORDS:

• Treatment seeking
• unit support
• training
• stigma

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Laura Ross, Christopher Herring, and Jerry Lowden for serving as ombudsmen for the study, and Mr Brad Singer and MAJ Donna Terrell for their assistance with the project. We would also like to think Amy Adler, Charles Hoge, Joshua Wilk, Paul Kim, Robin Toblin, and Maurice Sipos for their instructive feedback on the training reported in this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official policy or position of the U.S. Army Medical Command or the Department of Defense.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Department of Defense (grant number #W81XWH-11-2-0010) administered by the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity.