The military environment is often characterized by high levels of stress and danger, which can lead to negative outcomes such as physical and mental health problems. In order to cope with these challenges, soldiers must develop strategies that help them manage their emotions and maintain their well-being. One strategy that has been found to be particularly effective is building strong relationships with others in their unit. These relationships provide support, camaraderie, and a sense of belonging that can buffer against the negative effects of deployment.
Forming close bonds also makes soldiers more vulnerable to the psychological impacts of combat exposure, since they are more likely to feel grief, guilt, shame, and fear when their friends or comrades are hurt or killed. This phenomenon, known as relational vulnerability, highlights the paradoxical nature of coping with threats in the military context. On one hand, it allows for resilience through social support; on the other, it increases risk of PTSD and other adverse reactions. To understand how this paradox plays out in practice, this essay will examine two studies that explore how relational vulnerability affects adaptive coping and resilience among soldiers during deployment.
Study 1: Relationship Quality and Deployment Outcomes
In a recent study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, researchers examined the relationship between soldier-combatant relationships and deployment outcomes (Bryan & Watts, 2019). The authors recruited 458 active duty Army personnel who had recently returned from deployment to Afghanistan and surveyed them about their experiences while deployed. They found that soldiers who reported higher levels of relationship quality were less likely to experience symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety after returning home than those who did not. Interestingly, however, these positive effects only held true for soldiers who did not lose any friends or comrades during deployment. When soldiers lost someone close to them, relationship quality had no protective effect against negative outcomes. The authors suggested that this was because relationships provide emotional support that can buffer against the stress of combat exposure, but also make grief and trauma more salient when someone dies. This finding suggests that relational vulnerability may be both beneficial and detrimental to psychological well-being depending on the context.
Study 2: Adaptive Coping and Resilience
Another study, conducted by Liu and colleagues (2017), explored the role of adaptive coping strategies in mitigating the impact of deployment on mental health. The authors surveyed 368 National Guard members before and after deployment to Iraq and assessed their use of three types of coping mechanisms: problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidance-based. They found that soldiers who used problem-focused coping strategies (e.g., seeking information, planning ahead) tended to have lower levels of PTSD and other adverse reactions than those who used emotion-focused strategies (e.g., denial, venting) or avoidance-based strategies (e.g., substance abuse).
They also found that soldiers who reported high levels of relational vulnerability were less likely to use problem-focused strategies and more likely to use emotion-focused and avoidance-based strategies. In other words, soldiers who felt most vulnerable in their relationships were least able to engage in effective coping behaviors. The authors suggested that this was because these soldiers may have experienced greater emotional turmoil and needed to rely more heavily on maladaptive coping strategies to manage their distress.
Research suggests that relationship quality is an important factor in determining how soldiers cope with deployment stressors. While strong relationships provide social support and resilience when everything goes according to plan, they can become sources of pain and trauma when someone is lost. Adaptive coping strategies are also critical for mitigating the negative effects of combat exposure; however, soldiers who feel most vulnerable in their relationships may be less able to access these resources. These findings highlight the complex interplay between relational dynamics, adaptation, and psychological well-being in military contexts, and suggest that further research is needed to better understand how soldiers can build resilience while maintaining healthy relationships.
How does relational vulnerability influence adaptive coping and resilience in high-threat military environments?
Relational vulnerability can significantly impact an individual's ability to cope with high-threat military environments. Research has shown that individuals who feel more vulnerable in their relationships tend to have higher levels of stress and anxiety, which can impede their ability to respond effectively to challenges (Sachdev et al. , 2017).