ABSTRACT

Research is needed to examine factors that contribute to psychological well-being among military service members. This study examined associations between various indices of psychological well-being, resilience, and help-seeking stigma among New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) personnel (N = 2,805). Participants completed self-report measures of psychological well-being, resilience, help-seeking stigma, and past-year help-seeking behaviors. Greater resilience and a lower degree of help-seeking stigma were each significantly associated with better psychological well-being (i.e., greater psychological flourishing, less psychological distress, and better overall mental health). Though effects were relatively small, engagement in help-seeking behaviors moderated the relationship between (1) greater resilience and less psychological distress and (2) greater resilience and better overall mental health, such that these relationships were stronger among those who had sought help for their mental health in the past year. Findings suggest that greater resilience and less mental health help-seeking stigma may independently contribute to better psychological well-being among NZDF personnel; thus, enhancing resilience and reducing help-seeking stigma may serve to promote psychological well-being in this population. Improving resilience among NZDF personnel who seek help, in particular, may contribute to better psychological well-being. However, longitudinal research among service members is needed to establish a temporal relationship between these constructs.

摘要

需要进行研究以检查有助于兵役人员心理健康的因素。这项研究调查了新西兰国防军（NZDF）人员在心理健康，适应能力和寻求帮助的耻辱等各种指标之间的关联（N= 2,805）。参加者完成了自我报告的心理健康，韧性，寻求帮助的污名和过去一年的寻求帮助行为的自我报告。更大的适应力和较低的寻求帮助的耻辱度都与更好的心理健康显着相关（即，更大的心理蓬勃发展，更少的心理困扰以及更好的整体心理健康）。尽管影响相对较小，但参与寻求帮助行为会缓和（1）更大的应变能力和更少的心理困扰，以及（2）更大的应变能力和更好的整体心理健康之间的关系，从而在寻求帮助的人中这些关系更牢固他们过去一年的心理健康。研究结果表明，更大的适应力和更少的心理健康寻求帮助的耻辱感可能会独立地促进NZDF人员的心理健康；因此，增强抵御能力和减少寻求帮助的污名可能有助于促进该人群的心理健康。寻求帮助的NZDF人员的应变能力尤其可以改善心理健康。但是，需要在服务成员之间进行纵向研究以建立这些构造之间的时间关系。