When Does Soldier Patriotism or Nationalism Matter? The Role of Transformational Small‐Unit Leaders

Patriotism and nationalism, 2 sets of attitudes often associated with the military, are examined in relation to perceived combat readiness and intention to remain in military service. Transformational leadership served as an intervening variable in these relationships. Survey data obtained from a sample of Army National Guard soldiers (N = 415) were used to examine relationships. Among junior‐ranking enlisted soldiers, both patriotism and nationalism showed significant, positive associations with perceived combat readiness and intention to remain in military service. The structural equation model fit soldiers' nationalistic attitudes best, having a considerable indirect effect through transformational leadership on perceived combat readiness. Implications of nationalistic and patriotic attitudes combined with charismatic leaders to benefit soldier readiness and retention are discussed.     

Suicide and War: The Mediating Effects of Negative Mood, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms, and Social Support among Army National Guard Soldiers

The mediating effects of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, negative mood, and social support on the relationship of war experiences to suicidality were examined. The research literature suggested a sequence among study scales representing these constructs, which was then tested on survey data obtained from a sample of National Guard soldiers (N = 4,546). Results from structural equation modeling suggested that war experiences may precipitate a sequence of psychological consequences leading to suicidality. However, suicidality may be an enduring behavioral health condition. War experiences showed no direct effects on postdeployment suicidality, rather its effect was indirect through PTSD symptoms and negative mood. War experiences were, however, predictive of PTSD symptoms, as would be expected. PSTD symptoms showed no direct effect on postdeployment suicidality, but showed indirect effects through negative mood. Results also suggested that suicidality is relatively persistent, at least during deployment and postdeployment. The percentage of those at risk for suicide was low both during and after deployment, with little association between suicidality and time since returning from deployment. Additionally, few soldiers were initially nonsuicidal and then reported such symptoms at postdeployment. Implications of relationships of both negative mood and combat trauma to suicidality are discussed, as well as possible mediating effects of both personal dispositions and social support on relationships of war experiences to PTSD, negative mood, and suicidality.     

Parental Psychological Control and Adjustment Among Detained Youth: Does Perceived Containment Matter?

Journal of Child and Family Studies - Parental psychological control is linked to adjustment difficulties, but the links to specific adjustment outcomes and factors that contribute to these links...     

Army Suicides: “Knowns” and an Interpretative Framework for Future Directions

Studies have yielded consistent variables associated with military suicides: age (17 to 30 years), gender (male), race (white), and previous mental health conditions. Military experience variables have shown little associations with suicide. Taken together, findings may be explained, in part, by age-specific psychosocial tasks (e.g., intimacy versus isolation and identity versus role confusion). Both relate directly to the extent that the individual is socially integrated—tasks health and medical research literature have described as increasingly more difficult for youth to effectively accomplish. Contextual circumstances, such as gender and race, appear to provide necessary supports to successfully accomplish these psychosocial tasks.     

Social information processing and cardiac predictors of adolescent antisocial behavior

The relations among social information processing (SIP), cardiac activity, and antisocial behavior were investigated in adolescents over a 3-year period (from ages 16 to 18) in a community sample of 585 (48% female, 17% African American) participants. Antisocial behavior was assessed in all 3 years. Cardiac and SIP measures were collected between the first and second behavioral assessments. Cardiac measures assessed resting heart rate (RHR) and heart rate reactivity (HRR) as participants imagined themselves being victimized in hypothetical provocation situations portrayed via video vignettes. The findings were moderated by gender and supported a multiprocess model in which antisocial behavior is a function of trait-like low RHR (for male individuals only) and deviant SIP. In addition, deviant SIP mediated the effects of elevated HRR reactivity and elevated RHR on antisocial behavior (for male and female participants).     

Using Personality Constructs to Predict Performance: Narrow or Broad Bandwidth

One factor that can influence the magnitude of predictive validity of personality tests for selection is the bandwidth of the constructs measured (Ashton, Jackson, Paunonen, Helmes, & Rothstein, Journal of Research in Personality, 29, 432–442 (1995)). In addition, certain personality characteristics have been shown to be more prevalent in an occupational category (Barrick & Mount, Personnel Psychology, 44, 1–26 (1991)). The results of this study suggest the necessity to perform personality based job analysis within a specific occupational category to properly select a personality measure. Criterion validity coefficients of broad constructs were non significant. However, specific facets identified in a personality based job analysis demonstrated moderate significant correlations. In addition, applicants prefer a more narrowly defined selection test.