Page 136 - JSOM Fall 2022

TABLE 2 Medians and Interquartile Ranges for Mental Health Symptoms by SOF Career Stage
Subjective Posttraumatic
Well-being Symptoms Depressive Symptoms Anxiety Symptoms Stress Symptoms
SOF Career Start 62 (2) 1 (3) 0 (2) 0.5 (3)
SOF Mid­career 55 (11) 5.5 (5.5) 3 (5) 6.5 (10)
2
2
Career Stage Difference χ (1) = 1.78 χ (1) = 12.99* χ (1) = 11.71* χ (1) = 2.64
2
2
Note: Career stage differences were calculated using Wald χ tests without controlling for any other study variables.
2
*p < .001.
TABLE 3 Poisson Regression Model Estimates (Unstandardized) and Standard Error for Each Dependent Variable
(Reference is SOF Mid-Career Combat SMs)
Subjective Well-being Posttraumatic Stress
Parameter Symptoms Depressive Symptoms Anxiety Symptoms Symptoms
Intercept 2.99 (0.28)*** 4.76 (2.42)* 7.23 (2.69)** 12.18 (3.27)***
SOF career stage 0.92 (0.39)* –3.78 (2.75) –6.94 (3.02)* –8.84 (3.66)*
Resilience (ER89) 0.02 (0.01)*** –0.08 (0.05) –0.16 (0.06)** –0.22 (0.07)**
Total military service –0.11 (0.14) –0.23 (0.96) 1.15 (0.88) –0.93 (1.20)
mTBI history 0.01 (0.01) –0.14 (0.11) –0.20 (0.12) –0.50 (0.17)**
SOF career Stage*Resilience (ER89) –0.02 (0.01)* 0.10 (0.06) + 0.17 (0.07)* 0.22 (0.08)**
2
2
2
2
Overall model χ (5) = 20.09** χ (5) = 18.55** χ (5) = 28.51*** χ (5) = 19.59**
2
Note: ER89=Ego Resiliency Scale. Career stage differences were calculated using Wald χ tests that accounted for any other study variables. N=58
for all models excluding posttraumatic stress symptoms (N=50).
+ p < .10, *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

no mTBI history and average total military service, SOF careers FIGURE 1 The effects of resilience on subjective well-being and
start Servicemembers with median resilience (estimate = 48.29 anxiety symptoms as a function of SOF career stage.
[40.21–57.99]) was lower than those with high resilience (esti­
mate = 72.16 [45.92–83.53]), whereas this effect was not seen
in mid­career SOF Servicemembers as demonstrated by nearly
equivalent subjective well­being at low (estimate = 58.59
[47.33–72.53]), median (estimate = 57.61 [46.28–71.72]),
and high (estimate = 59.29 [45.92–76.55]) resilience (Figure 1;
H2a not supported).
Depression
SOF career stage (χ [1] = 1.31, p = .17; H1b not supported),
2
resilience (χ [1] = 2.75, p = .10), and their interaction (χ [1] =
2
2
2.16, p = .14) did not account for the variance in depressive
symptoms, while accounting for mTBI history and total mili­
tary service.
With no mTBI history and average total military service, SOF
careers start Servicemembers with median resilience (estimate
= 4.85 [1.28–18.39]) was higher than those with high resil­
ience (estimate = 1.10 [0.32–3.79]), whereas this effect was not
seen in mid­career Servicemembers as demonstrated by nearly
equivalent depression at low (estimate = 5.90 [1.45–23.84]),
median (estimate = 5.64 [1.34–23.75]), and high (estimate =
6.08 [1.27–29.08]) resilience (H2b not supported).
Anxiety
SOF career stage (χ [1] = 4.41, p = .04; H1c supported), re­
2
silience (χ [1] = 6.91, p < .01), and their interaction (χ [1] =
2
2
5.45, p = .02), significantly accounted for the variance in anx­
iety symptoms while controlling for mTBI history and total
military service. Resilience’s effect on anxiety symptoms was
a function of career stage with career start SOF Servicemem­
bers tending to report lower anxiety symptoms with higher
resilience. This effect was not seen in SOF mid­career com­ [0.07­1.11]), whereas this effect was not seen in mid­career
bat Servicemembers. With no mTBI history and average total SOF Servicemembers as demonstrated by nearly equivalent
military service, SOF careers start Servicemembers with me­ anxiety at low (estimate = 2.23 [0.61­8.21]), median (estimate
dian resilience (estimate = 3.79 [95% CI: 1.00­14.31]) had = 2.16 [0.54­8.56]), and high (estimate = 2.29 [0.53­9.89])
higher anxiety than those with high resilience (estimate = 0.27 resilience (see Figure 1; H1c not supported).

132 | JSOM Volume 22, Edition 3 / Fall 2022