Military training environment and attributions toward injury

Title of publication

Attributions toward injury in a military physical training environment

Abstract

The effects of military culture on causal attributions in a physical training environment were examined. The participants were male Australian Defense Force (ADF) members: 49 physical training instructors (mean age = 32.21 years) and 63 physical training participants (mean age = 34.22 years). Participants filled out a questionnaire describing 3 injury scenarios, each with a different severity of injury. The participants assigned causal attributes on 4 dimensions: lack of ability, environmental condition, lack of effort, and bad luck. There were main effects for scenario (low, moderate, and high severity of injury) and group (physical training instructors and injured trainee). Military culture may therefore encourage attributions that are internal and unstable. The results demonstrate the significant effect of military context on "normal" attribution biases. Therefore when seeking explanation of causation, there is a need to be aware of the tendency for those involved to distort attributions and how these distortions may be affected by a military context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

Links 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/mil0000158
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=search.displayrecord&uid=2017-05889-001
http://psycnet.apa.org/index.cfm?fa=browsePA.ofp&jcode=mil

Cite 

Thorsteinsson, E. B., & Loi, N. M. (2017 online first). Attributions toward injury in a military physical training environment. Military Psychology doi:10.1037/mil0000158

Sleep, mental health, and help-seeking in University students

Title of publication

Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in University students

Abstract 

University students experience common mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and stress along with poor-sleep quality. This study explores the relationships between these concepts and help-seeking intention in a general Australian university student population. The primary aim was to examine the moderating effects of sleep quality on help-seeking intention for common mental health problems. The secondary aim was to examine sex differences in help-seeking behaviour. Method: University students, between 18 and 55 years of age ( M = 30.18, SD = 11.37, N = 117) of which 98 were female, completed an on-line survey assessing help-seeking intentions, common mental health problems, and sleep quality. Results: High levels of depression, anxiety, and stress were signi fi cantly associated with decreased sleep quality or decreased help-seeking intention. A multiple regression analysis predicted that students were more likely to report intention to seek help if they had lower scores of depression, but higher scores of stress. Help-seeking intention levels were lower for males than females. Poor-sleep quality was not found to be a moderator of help-seeking intention. Conclusion: Although the proposed moderation effect of poor-sleep quality on the relationship between common mental health problems and help-seeking intention was not supported, the study advanced our knowledge of university students ’ low intention to seek help, despite high scores of poor-sleep quality. Implications for on-campus interventions and raising awareness among students about these issues are discussed.

Link 

http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ajpy.12160

Cite

Zochil, M. L., & Thorsteinsson, E. B. (2017). Exploring poor sleep, mental health, and help-seeking intention in University students. Australian Journal of Psychology. doi:10.1111/ajpy.12160