Impact of combat trauma on motivational types in military personnel facing life-threatening danger
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15584/ejcem.2025.2.1Keywords:
military personel, motivation, post-traumatic stressAbstract
Introduction and aim. The motivation of soldiers actively fighting during war is very important. Long-term participation in battles do not have a positive effect on maintaining motivation. The purpose of this study was to determine the motivational types of military personnel with different attitudes toward danger in conditions of a real threat of death after participating in long-term intensive battles.
Material and methods. A cross-sectional, descriptive study was conducted among military personnel from the Ukrainian De fense Forces (225 males, 40.73±9.81 years). The Mississippi Scale for Combat-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (MSCRPTSD) was used to diagnose posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the “Disadaptation Express Questionnaire” (DEQ) to identify signs of a violation of the adaptability of the soldier’s personality, the ‘Resilience to Combat Mental Trauma Questionnaire” (RCMTQ) was used to assess the impact of combat stress, as well as the ‘Perspectives assessment of professional motivation in Military Personnel Questionnaire” (APPMMPQ) for a comprehensive assessment of military personnel, including the attitude to danger in conditions of a real threat of death.
Results. The relationships between motivational characteristics of conscious attitude towards danger of military personnel and indicators of posttraumatic stress and resistance to combat mental trauma were determined. Two groups (motivational types) of CAD were identified, to which 214 (95.11%) of the participants were assigned: group 1 with low profile 191 (84.89%) and group 2 with a medium-high profile 23 (10.22%). The profile of negative emotional reactions and states of group 2 was located mainly in the range of 1.5–3.5 points with peaks on the scales of “Anxiety”, “Unwillingness to communicate” and “Irritability”. The profile of subgroup 1.2 was located in the range of 2-4 points and was quite close to the profile of group 2 with peaks on the scales of ‘Anxiety’ and “Distrust of commanders”.
Conclusion. A high level of motivation for a conscious attitude toward danger can reduce the risk of injury to military person nel. Unformed or depleted motivation for a conscious attitude to danger under the conditions of a real threat of death of mili tary personnel increases the risk of mental trauma.
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