A bidirectional examination of mental health symptoms and perceptions of leader support: Which comes first?
- Bessey, A. F., Black, K. J., & Britt, T. W. (2023). A bidirectional examination of mental health symptoms and perceptions of leader support: Which comes first? Military Psychology, 35(2), 119-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/08995605.2022.2085957
- The study examined the direction of effects (i.e., which effect came first?) between leadership support for psychological health and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression accounting for combat exposure. 485 active-duty Service members completed surveys at two time points, reporting their perceptions of support provided by their unit leader regarding psychological health, as well as their own PTSD and depression symptoms and combat exposure. Leadership support for psychological health was linked to lower mental health symptomatology five months later. Higher symptomatology was also linked to lower perceived leadership support for psychological health 5 months later. Combat exposure had minimal effect on the connections between leader support and symptomatology.
Report Link
Publication Type
Focus Terms
Branch of Service
Military Affiliation
Subject Affiliation
Population
Methodology
Journal
Keywords
Newsletter Date
Research summaries convey terminology used by the scientists who authored the original research article; some terminology may not align with the federal government's mandated language for certain constructs.