La psicología militar en la prevención de salud mental durante la pandemia por SARS-Cov-2 / Military psychology in mental health prevention in Spain during the SARS-Cov-2 Pandemic

La literatura científica señala que las situaciones de emergencias y desastres tienen un impacto más elevado para la salud mental que para la salud física. No había razones para pensar que la pandemia por COVID-19 y la situación de estado de alarma fueran a impactar menos que epidemias anteriores. Por ello, la psicología militar debía aportar algunas de sus capacidades para reducir el impacto de la emergencia en la salud mental de una parte de la población. MÉTODO: Se realizaron búsquedas bibliográficas en PubMed, PsycINFO y EBSCOhost de cara a analizar el impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19 en la salud mental. Además, se describen algunas de las diferentes actuaciones que ha llevado a cabo la psicología militar en todo el territorio nacional, durante la mencionada crisis sanitaria. RESULTADOS: Se observa un impacto psicológico negativo del COVID-19 en países como China, Argelia, Irán, India, Italia, España, Reino Unido o Alemania. La psicología militar realizó al menos 15000 actuaciones, aunque no todas se concretaron en intervenciones psicológicas y solo unas 8000 se pudieron contabilizar formalmente. El 40% de las personas atendidas recibieron al menos una intervención psicológica (13% en formato individual y 27% en sesión grupal para intervinientes). De las actuaciones individuales contabilizadas, aproximadamente el 18% derivó en intervención psicológica. En las intervenciones individuales se observaron síntomas de salud mental negativos, así como patrones de resiliencia para gestionar el estrés. Las actuaciones se llevaron a cabo con: Trabajadores y usuarios de residencias de mayores y centros de personas vulnerables; hospitalizados y familiares de hospitalizados y fallecidos por COVID-19; militares intervinientes en la emergencia; familiares de militares; trabajadores civiles del Ministerio de Defensa; militares en situación de retiro; y viudas de militares. CONCLUSIONES: Según la literatura científica, la emergencia sanitaria ha tenido un impacto negativo en la salud mental. Sin embargo, pese a los síntomas negativos, los individuos también demuestran patrones de resiliencia bien establecidos

Scientific community indicates that emergency and disaster situations have a higher impact on mental health than on physical health. There was no reason to believe that outbreak COVID-19 and state of alarm were going to impact less than previous epidemics. For this reason, military psychology needed to contribute with some of its capabilities to reduce the impact of the emergency on the mental health of part of the population. METHOD: Bibliographic searches in PubMed, PsycINFO and EBSCOhost were performed for analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health. In addition, some of the actions that military psychology has carried out throughout the Nation are described. RESULTS: A negative psychological impact of COVID-19 was observed in countries such as China, Algeria, Iran, India, Italy, Spain, United Kingdom or Germany. Military psychology carried out at least 15,000 actions, although not all of them resulted in psychological interventions and about half of them were formally accounted. Approximately 40% of the people received at least one psychological intervention (13% in individual format and 27% in group session for participants). Of the individual actions recorded, about 18% needed psychological first aid. Negative symptoms but also positive resilience patterns were observed in people. Actions were done in different contexts: Workers and users of nursing homes and centers for vulnerable people; hospitalized and hospitalized's relatives and deceased by COVID-19; military personnel as first workers; military relatives; civil workers from the Ministry of Defense; retired military personnel; and military widows. CONCLUSIONS: According to the scientific literature, this outbreak has had a negative impact on mental health. However, despite negative symptoms, people also presented resilience patterns

Military operational psychology.

With increasing requirements for expeditionary support to military units, models of integrated and embedded psychology have emerged. Operational psychology represents one such model. Military operational psychologists receive specialized training, are embedded in operational units, and are employed to provide operational mission support to organizations and their personnel as opposed to providing individual health care per se. The following article describes the employment of military operational psychology and discusses its unique organizational and ethical challenges. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Military psychologists and cultural competence: exploring implications for the manifestation and treatment of psychological trauma in the British armed forces.

This paper considers the manifestation and treatment of psychological trauma in the military. The article describes how military psychologists conceptualise psychological trauma within the culture of the Armed Forces (AF), which is reflected in the process of acquiring what has been referred to as cultural competency. Psychologists in this context acquire an understanding of the manner in which the psychological and organisational systems and culture of the military affect the presentation of psychological trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The paper outlines core psychological features of military life, including some of the ways in which the AF functions effectively as an adaptable fighting force. This highlights, for example, the potential for stigma within and between military personnel who experience mental health difficulties. The article proceeds to examine aspects of help-seeking in military mental healthcare, how symptoms can present at different stages in a deployment process, and the consequences that such problems can cause for military conduct and performance. Psychological care in the military is structured within an occupational mental health ethos, in which psychologists fulfil a range of clinical, organisational and leadership roles. These dynamics are explored with examples of care pathways and clarity on evidence-based interventions for trauma and PTSD in those experiencing military-related psychological injuries. Two vignettes are then offered to illustrate how some of these interventions can be used psychotherapeutically in addressing symptoms pertaining to hyperarousal, hypervigilance, guilt and shame.

Here, there and everywhere: psychologists and the training of British Army officers at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

The Department of Communication and Applied Behavioural Science is one of the three departments in the academic faculty at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. The aim of the Department is to equip officer cadets with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities in order for them to develop their own potential, as both individuals and leaders in the British Army. The members of the Department have a range of backgrounds, with most having served in various capacities across UK Defence, both in uniformed and/or civilian crown servant contexts. Several members of the faculty are qualified psychologists, while others have related academic and professional backgrounds. The academic and applied discipline of psychology is the fundamental thread that runs through the various courses and projects delivered by the Department. This paper provides a brief overview of the activities undertaken by the Department, with a specific focus on the psychology components of the academic and applied activities. Although mainly serving in academic teaching roles, this paper illustrates the work of the psychologists outside the classroom, such as via field exercises and deployments overseas. It also touches on the importance of the outreach undertaken by the psychologists in the Department, which supports their ongoing research.

Male psychosexual therapy in the UK military.

Military personnel can experience psychosexual difficulties for a variety of reasons. Problems can arise because of psychological trauma, physical injury, consequences arising from pharmacological and surgical complications and social or emotional concerns relating to intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship dynamics. Such individuals might seek to minimise or avoid resolving their pertinent difficulties, while others can experience cultural, personal or organisational barriers to accessing professional help. This paper offers an overview of the development of a national specialist psychosexual therapy service (PST), commenting specifically on the service delivery for male military personnel. It will also consider factors which may support progress in treatment and reflect upon the importance of considering psychosexual functioning in relationships as part of the broader service-life context, which is especially relevant to military personnel.

Neuropsychology and clinical health psychology in the UK Ministry of Defence.

Neuropsychological testing has been used in a wide range of applications across military settings, including the selection of personnel to engage in covert operations, battlefield assessment and rehabilitation following blast exposure, traumatic brain injury, other neurological conditions and assessment of malingering. Over recent decades, military psychologists have helped to shape the advances in assessing and remediating the psychological sequela that is associated with operationally related neurological and other physical injuries. This paper will present an overview of some of the neuropsychological and related services within the UK Armed Forces, which are provided to service personnel with traumatic brain and other physical injuries.

Contribution of military psychology in supporting those in rural and remote work environments.

CONTEXT: This article explores the relevance of the body of military psychology knowledge to the management and support of those living and working in rural/remote industries and locations, particularly within Australia. ISSUES: For those who live and work in rural/remote settings, there are social, occupational, health and environmental challenges. Some of these are shared with families and individuals who are associated with military life. The published literature on the shared attributes between military and rural/remote work environments rarely makes a direct link. However, looking at both areas suggests opportunities for the application of psychological knowledge in the well-developed field of military psychology to the rural/remote setting. This article focuses on application of psychological knowledge in the areas of occupational performance, fatigue, mental health, family care and in the training of psychologists to work in rural/remote areas. LESSONS LEARNED: The cross-pollination of knowledge between those working with military personnel and family and those working in rural/remote settings should allow practitioners greater opportunities to improve health and wellbeing outcomes in these communities.

[Organisational peculiarities and principles of medical-psychological rehabilitation of military personnel of special units of the Ministry of Defence].

The authors presented information about current state of organization of medical and psychological rehabilitation at sanatorium stage of military servicemen of special units of the Russian Defense Ministry, information about rehabilitation treatment techniques, and physical and psychological rehabilitation, natural and premature medicinal factors.

Las prácticas basadas en la evidencia en psicología y en psicología militar / The evidence-based practices in psychology and in military psychology

Tanto en el ámbito civil como en el militar las prácticas de los psicólogos han estado, muchas veces, exentas de fundamento empírico y otras se han apoyado en corrientes psicológicas tradicionales meramente teóricas. Además, aunque las intervenciones psicológicas se hayan basado en variables o aspectos demostrados en estudios previos, en demasiadas ocasiones, dichas intervenciones no habían sido validadas en muestras controladas. Afortunadamente para la profesión y sus usuarios, esta tendencia está cambiando siendo la exigencia a los psicólogos cada vez mayor y estando la psicología cada vez más en una posición sólida y de calidad demostrada

The psychological practices has not been based in evidence for many year and times and, some others, they has been supported by traditional psychological theory but not pragmatic and nether empirical. Furthermore, psychological interventions could be done including demonstrated facts but most of those interventions had never been validated in randomized controlled trial. Fortunately for the profession and its clients, this trend is changing. Increasing quality and demands are required to psychologists and psychology is getting, finally, a strong position

[Professional psychological selection system in the Air Force - 50 years].

Given the data about the establishment of the professional psychological selection system in the Air Force in 1958-1964 in the NIIIAM Air Force by the team psychological department under the leadership of K.K.Platonova. Given the names of the developers of this system and given the results of their research. The result of all made work the order of Air Force Commander about the introduction of the psychological selection in Higher Military Aviation School of Pilots, starting from a set of 1964 became. Recommendations for professional psychological selection of a wide range of aviation professionals in various fields, and in the future - and other professionals of the Armed Forces, became the results of future work.

Performance excellence: using Lean Six Sigma tools to improve the US Army behavioral health surveillance process, boost team morale, and maximize value to customers and stakeholders.

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) is a process improvement, problem-solving methodology used in business and manufacturing to improve the speed, quality, and cost of products. LSS can also be used to improve knowledge-based products integral to public health surveillance. An LSS project by the Behavioral Social Health Outcomes Program of the Army Institute of Public Health reduced the number of labor hours spent producing the routine surveillance of suicidal behavior publication. At baseline, the total number of labor hours was 448; after project completion, total labor hours were 199. Based on customer feedback, publication production was reduced from quarterly to annually. Process improvements enhanced group morale and established best practices in the form of standard operating procedures and business rules to ensure solutions are sustained. LSS project participation also fostered a change in the conceptualization of tasks and projects. These results demonstrate that LSS can be used to inform the public health process and should be considered a viable method of improving knowledge-based products and processes.

Psychological intervention in the spanish military deployed on international operations / Intervención psicológica en militares españoles desplegados en operaciones internacionales

BACKGROUND: Spain was one of the first countries to recognize the importance of psychological aspects in the planning and development of international military operations, and also to include military psychologists in contingents deployed abroad. METHOD: This paper describes the psychological intervention model used by Spanish military psychologists involved in military operations abroad. RESULTS: This model is comprised of a systematic set of interventions and actions carried out in the different phases of any military operation (concentration, deployment and post-mission). It also contemplates the intervention not only in personnel who integrate the military contingents, but also with their families and, at certain times of the mission, with the local population of the area in which the operation is carried out. CONCLUSIONS: The model presented has a preventive orientation, based on the selection and psychological preparation of contingents before deployment, and supplemented by support in the area of operations for personnel who need it, and the psychological care of their families in Spain. Whereas this model has been effective so far, in this work, we present a series of measures aimed at improving the psychological well-being of our troops deployed outside our country

ANTECEDENTES: España ha sido pionera en reconocer la importancia de los aspectos psicológicos en la planificación y desarrollo de las operaciones militares internacionales, y en incluir a psicólogos en los contingentes desplegados en ellas. MÉTODO: este trabajo describe el modelo de intervención psicológica utilizado por los psicólogos militares españoles que participan en misiones y operaciones en el exterior. RESULTADO: dicho modelo está conformado por un conjunto sistematizado de intervenciones y actuaciones que se llevan a cabo en las distintas fases que componen toda operación militar (concentración, despliegue y postmisión). Igualmente contempla la intervención tanto en el personal que integra los contingentes militares, como en sus familias y, en determinados momentos de la misión, en la población local de la zona en que se desarrolla. CONCLUSIONES: el modelo presentado posee una orientación claramente preventiva, basada en la selección y preparación psicológica del contingente antes del despliegue, y complementada con la asistencia en zona de operaciones al personal que lo requiera y la atención a sus familias en territorio nacional. Pese a la eficacia de dicho modelo, se analizan sus limitaciones y se exponen algunas medidas para mejorar el bienestar psicológico de nuestras tropas desplegadas en el exterior

Psychological intervention in the Spanish military deployed on international operations.

BACKGROUND: Spain was one of the first countries to recognize the importance of psychological aspects in the planning and development of international military operations, and also to include military psychologists in contingents deployed abroad. METHOD: This paper describes the psychological intervention model used by Spanish military psychologists involved in military operations abroad. RESULTS: This model is comprised of a systematic set of interventions and actions carried out in the different phases of any military operation (concentration, deployment and post-mission). It also contemplates the intervention not only in personnel who integrate the military contingents, but also with their families and, at certain times of the mission, with the local population of the area in which the operation is carried out. CONCLUSIONS: The model presented has a preventive orientation, based on the selection and psychological preparation of contingents before deployment, and supplemented by support in the area of operations for personnel who need it, and the psychological care of their families in Spain. Whereas this model has been effective so far, in this work, we present a series of measures aimed at improving the psychological well-being of our troops deployed outside our country.

Character strengths: a study of argentinean soldiers

The primary objective of this research was to study the differences in positive traits between military and civilian college students and between cadets in their first and final years at a military academy. Second, the research aimed to study the relations between positive traits and the academic and military performance of cadets in their first and final years, according to the classification of positive traits by Peterson and Seligman (2004). To accomplish these objectives, a sample of university students from a military educational institution and a sample of civilian university students were studied. The instruments used were a 24-item self-report measure of positive traits, a measure of social desirability, and objective scores of academic and military performance. The results generally showed that when age and career stage were held constant, the scores of the military students were higher than the scores of the civilian students across various strengths. Military students reported higher levels of the character strength of spirituality than did civilian students. The relationships between strengths and performance differed for students in their first and final years at the military academy. In particular, cadets with the higher levels of academic or military performance in their last year, i.e., the cadets best adapted to the academy, reported higher levels of the character strength of persistence when compared to low-performing cadets in the same year of study (AU)

Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron, por una parte, estudiar las diferencias en rasgos positivos entre estudiantes universitarios militares y civiles, y entre cadetes de primero y último año de una academia militar; y por otra, estudiar la relación entre los rasgos positivos y los rendimientos académicos y militares de cadetes de primero y de último año, siguiendo la clasificación de rasgos positivos de Peterson y Seligman (2004). Para ello se trabajó con una muestra de estudiantes universitarios de una institución militar educativa y con una muestra de estudiantes universitarios civiles. Se utilizó un autoinforme de rasgos positivos de 24 ítems, una medida de deseabilidad social y las calificaciones objetivas de los rendimientos académicos y militares. Los resultados generalmente mostraron que, equilibrados por edad y progreso en la carrera, las puntuaciones de los varones militares son más altas que las puntuaciones de los varones civiles en varias fortalezas. Se observó que los estudiantes militares muestran mayores niveles de la fortaleza espiritualidad que los estudiantes civiles. Son diferentes las relaciones entre las fortalezas y los rendimientos para primero y último año de cursada militar. Particularmente en el último curso, se observó que los cadetes de altos rendimientos académicos o militares, i. e., los cadetes con mejor adaptación a la academia, muestran mayores niveles de la fortaleza persistencia, en comparación con los cadetes de bajos rendimientos del mismo año de estudios (AU)

Comprehensive soldier fitness: building resilience in a challenging institutional context.

The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program is designed to increase psychological strength and positive performance and to reduce the incidence of maladaptive responses of the entire U.S. Army. Based on the principles of positive psychology, CSF is a historically unique approach to behavioral health in a large (1.1 million members) organization. There are four program elements: (a) the assessment of emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness; (b) individualized learning modules to improve fitness in these domains; (c) formal resilience training; and (d) training of Army master resilience trainers (MRTs) to instill better thinking skills and resilience in their subordinates. In contrast to traditional approaches, CSF is proactive; rather than waiting to see who has a negative outcome following stress, it provides ways of improving resilience for all members of the Army. CSF aims to move the full spectrum of responses to trauma and adversity-ranging from stress-related disorders to ordinary resilience-toward personal growth. This program may provide a model for implementing similar interventions in other very large institutions.

Master resilience training in the U.S. Army.

The U.S. Army Master Resilience Trainer (MRT) course, which provides face-to-face resilience training, is one of the foundational pillars of the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program. The 10-day MRT course is the foundation for training resilience skills to sergeants and for teaching sergeants how to teach these skills to their soldiers. The curriculum is based on materials developed by the University of Pennsylvania, the Penn Resilience Program (PRP), and other empirically validated work in the field of positive psychology. This "train the trainer model" is the main vehicle for the dissemination of MRT concepts to the entire force.

[Directions of improvement of psycho-physiological supply of professional activity of specialists of manipulation of spacecrafts].

Were determined components of systems of guarantee of security of activity of specialists of manipulation of spacecrafts (SC): abidance by general organizational-methodological rules and principles of work, excluding violations in organization of duty, preventing of nonfulfillment and failure of sessions of control by SC, determination and deleting negative factors of operative activity, guarantee of safety of system "man-mechanism-environment." Were determined peculiarities of activity of specialists of manipulation of spacecrafts, their professionally important qualities, which had to be considered in effectuating of professional psycho-selection. Were shown regularities of changes in functional state and professional working capacity of operators of command-measured complexes during daily duty and during cycle of a year. Was made a conclusion about necessity of improvement of system of psychophysiological accompaniment of activity of specialists of manipulation of SC.

[Deep sea trip of the ship crash Northern Force fleet].

A long-termed navy march of crash shupborn group of Northern Navy became a sign-oriented event in the life of the Armed Forces. After more then 10 years cessation this march signed recommencement of permanent Russia navy attendance in strategically important areas of the World Ocean. The authors highlight work of military-navy specialists in conditions of this march. The most important peculiarity of this march was participation of a hard aircraft carrier "Navy Admiral of the Soviet Union N.G.Kuznetsov". Activity of aircraft staff in carrying out the boardings and the deck starts requires the highest mobilization of all psycho-physiological resources. There was effectuated a complex medical-psychophysiological research of functional condition of aircraft and engineer staff of the group during the service. Also there was effectuated an operative recovery of functional condition among sailors and officers of the ship staff. Method of neuronsemantic diagnostics of psychological disadaptation and suicide risk was used during the analyze of groups of risk. The results of the analyze permitted to educe main psychotraumatizing factors, to form recommendations on psycho-correction, organization-educative measures taking into account individual peculiarities of motivation sphere and cognitive sensitivity. There were effectuated different trainings of moralities, communicativeness, strategy of negotiation and stress-managment in cooperation with the psychologist of the ship.

The psychologist's role in the Garrison mission of combat stress control units.

Active duty psychologists frequently are called upon to provide services that extend beyond the model of direct patient care. Army psychologists in combat stress control teams or division mental health services, Navy psychologists deployed to surgical companies, and Air Force psychologists deployed with air-transportable hospitals or mental health rapid response teams may find themselves acting as organizational consultants as well as clinicians. Psychologists assigned to hospitals and clinics also have opportunities to make contact with their units for purposes of consultation and education. Organizational consultations that offer interventions for improving unit readiness and/or increasing combat effectiveness are often welcomed by commanders and provide a mechanism for the application of training and experience directly to military populations. Transferring skills from patient care to performance enhancement may not be a clear progression for many clinicians. This article describes the strategies and materials developed as part of a combat stress control garrison mission at Fort Lewis, Washington, as an example of one approach to working with combat units. The article also calls for the development of a formal mechanism to train psychologists for such roles and for the maintenance and dissemination of research materials to support organizational interventions.