An exploratory investigation of relationships among mental skills and resilience in Warrior Transition Unit cadre members

Mil Med. 2010 Apr;175(4):213-9. doi: 10.7205/milmed-d-09-00059.

Abstract

Warrior transition unit (WTU) cadre members are exposed to a variety of stressors that put them at risk for adverse conditions and events. Resilience may be a construct capable of moderating some of these potential negative outcomes. In turn, mental toughness is a concept associated with resilience that may provide a unique framework from which to train resilient behavior. This article explored associations between resilience and several mental skills that are assumed to be related to mental toughness, in a sample (n = 27) of WTU cadre members in the U.S. Army. Instruments included the Ottawa Mental Skills Inventory (OMSAT-3) and the Resilience Scale (RS). Both cognitive mental skills and emotion management skills were positively associated with resilience. Results also indicated a model specifying emotion management as a mediator of the relationship between cognitive skills and resilience was consistent with the study data.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cognition
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health
  • Military Medicine
  • Military Personnel / psychology*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Resilience, Psychological*
  • United States