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Master Resilience Training and Its Relationship to Individual Well-Being and Stress Buffering Among Army National Guard Soldiers

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Abstract

To better enable soldiers to adapt to stressors of military life, Master Resilience Training has been offered to soldiers since 2009. Few studies have examined whether the training achieves its intended effects. To fill this gap, resilience-trained Army National Guard soldiers and civilians (N = 611) completed online questionnaires about their resilience training experience (72% completion rate, N = 441). Respondents (92% or more) indicated the training was helpful and improved resilience competencies that enhanced coping with stressful circumstances. Respondents (97% or more) indicated that these competencies were subsequently used in their military and civilian jobs. A measure of resilience competencies was developed and showed self-reported changes largely pertained to increased self-awareness and strength of character, including improved optimism, mental agility, and connection with others. Self-reported change in resilience competencies was associated with fewer behavioral health symptoms, especially, for those reporting more current stressful events (known as the buffering effect). Findings are discussed in terms of resilience’s potency of training, content of the training, and the need to elaborate on resilience’s relationship to specific stressors.

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Disclaimer

Findings reported here are based on a National Guard Bureau study, which examined outcomes associated with the MRT program. Findings and views presented here are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the position of any entity, public or private.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no known conflict of interests regarding the present study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soldier and Family Support Division, Army National Guard Bureau, Arlington, VA, USA

    James Griffith PhD & Courtney West MA

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  1. James Griffith PhD
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  2. Courtney West MA
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Correspondence to James Griffith PhD.

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Griffith, J., West, C. Master Resilience Training and Its Relationship to Individual Well-Being and Stress Buffering Among Army National Guard Soldiers. J Behav Health Serv Res 40, 140–155 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-013-9320-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11414-013-9320-8

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