Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the impacts of various coping styles on resilience, psychological well-being and perceived health among participants of military nuclear-chemical maneuver.
Method: The 200 NBC protection soldiers and military nurses were recruited from military force in Taoyuan and military hospital in Taipei, Taiwan in November 2015. This study investigates the relationships between coping strategies, psychological well-being, resilience and perceived health using the scale of Brief COPE, Ryff’s Psychological Well-being scale and Resilience Scale for Adult. Structural equation modeling was applied to examine the relationships among coping strategies, psychological well-being, resilience and perceived health.
Results: Most participants were male (n = 145, 72.5%) and were single (n = 177, 88.5%). They ranged in age from 18 to 46 years, mean age are 24.6 years (standard deviation, 4.7 years). Using more approach-oriented coping strategies and less avoidant coping strategies were associated with greater resilience and psychological well-being, however using the avoidant coping are in the opposite way. Psychological well-being were directly associated with perceived health. Perceived health was only predicted significantly by psychological well-being.
Conclusions: The study found that distinct pathway for the relations between coping styles, resilience, psychological well-being and perceived health for military personnels. Resilience is higher for those who have more positive approach-oriented coping strategies and directly impact military personnels' s psychological well-being, which predict better perceived health. This conceptual model suggests that intervention designed to promote using approach-oriented coping strategies may help military personnels to promote positive resilience and psychological well-being, which in turn, may result in better perceived health status.