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Organizational commitment is a psychological state that has a strong impact on the likelihood that employees will remain with an organization. Among military personnel, organizational commitment is predictive of a number of important outcomes, including reenlistment intentions, job performance, morale, and perceived readiness. Because of the unique challenges and experiences associated with military service, it may be that organizational commitment is even more critical in the military than in civilian populations. Despite the essential role that they play in protecting the health of other service members, little is known about the factors that influence Navy Corpsmen's organizational commitment. This study investigated demographic and psychosocial factors that may be associated with organizational commitment among Corpsmen.Surveys of organizational commitment and possible demographic and psychosocial correlates of organizational commitment were completed by 1,597 male, active duty Navy Corpsmen attending Field Medical Training Battalion-West, Camp Pendleton, California. Bivariate correlations and hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to determine significant predictors of organizational commitment.Of the 12 demographic and psychosocial factors examined, 6 factors emerged as significant predictors of organizational commitment in the final model: preservice motivation to be a Corpsman, positive perceptions of Corpsman training, confidence regarding promotions, occupational self-efficacy, social support for a Corpsman career, and lower depression.Importantly, a number of the factors that emerged as significant correlates of organizational commitment in this study are potentially modifiable. These factors include confidence regarding promotions, positive perceptions of Corpsman training, and occupational self-efficacy. It is recommended that military leaders and policy-makers take concrete steps to address these factors, thereby strengthening organizational commitment among Corpsmen. Further research is needed to identify ways in which organizational commitment could be strengthened among Corpsmen.

The objective of this longitudinal study was to determine psychosocial predictors of military misconduct in a cohort of Marine Corps war veterans. The study included data from 20,746 male Marines who completed a life history questionnaire during initial basic training and were subsequently deployed to a combat zone. Associations between psychosocial variables, psychiatric diagnoses, and subsequent misconduct outcomes were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression. The strongest predictors of misconduct outcomes (bad conduct discharges and military demotions) were psychiatric diagnoses and young age at first combat deployment. The results indicate that combat-related psychological disorders may manifest in numerous harmful ways, including impulsive, disruptive, and antisocial behavior. We recommend that the association between misconduct and psychiatric disorders be more explicitly acknowledged in research and treatment efforts involving military war veterans and other trauma victims.

The effect of combat and operational stress on the mental health of military personnel is a major concern. The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with possible posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A questionnaire was completed by 1,569 Marines who deployed in support of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan (2002-2007). Using the PTSD Checklist with a cutoff score of 44, 17.1% of the sample screened positive for possible PTSD. Of 9 demographic and psychosocial factors examined in relation to PTSD, 4 were significant in a multivariate analysis: deployment-related stressors, combat exposure, marital status, and education. Deployment-related stressors had a stronger association with PTSD than any other variable. This is an important finding because deployment-related stressors are potentially modifiable.

Understanding antisocial behavior and organizational misconduct is an important objective, because these maladaptive behaviors are disruptive and costly to organizations and to society as a whole. The objective of this study was to identify psychosocial risk factors for misconduct and antisocial behavior in a sample of Navy personnel. A group of sailors (n = 158) who had engaged in significant misconduct were compared with a demographically similar group of sailors (n = 288) who had not engaged in misconduct and who were in good standing with the Navy. The psychosocial variables that emerged as the most important risk factors for antisocial behavior were alcohol use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42), high impulsivity (OR = 2.20), high trait hostility (OR = 1.79), and antisocial behavior of friends (OR = 1.65). The implications of these results for the military and for research on antisocial behavior are discussed.

Psychosocial factors may have an important impact on injury recovery and return to work. To explore the influence of psychosocial factors in a cohort of injured military personnel, data were collected from 166 Marine Corps basic training recruits with musculoskeletal injuries. This sample was followed prospectively to determine whether they graduated from basic training or were discharged from the Marines. Demographic, injury-related, and psychosocial factors were analyzed to determine predictors of failure to graduate from basic training. The strongest risk factors for failing to graduate were not expecting to graduate, low or uncertain career intentions, lack of determination, psychological distress, and low organizational commitment. In the final multivariate logistics model, two predictors of failure to graduate emerged: not expecting to graduate and low or uncertain career intentions. The results suggest that interventions to reduce attrition in injured military populations should be designed to counter pessimistic expectations and emphasize career opportunities.

Previous studies indicate that smokers attrite from military service at significantly higher rates than nonsmokers. The purpose of the current effort is twofold: (1) to examine the implications of treating smoking status as a third military accession quality indicator along with educational credentials and mental ability, and (2) to explore preservice psychosocial and health differences between smokers and nonsmokers in support of hypothesis development about reasons for elevated attrition rates in smokers. The results indicate that individuals who smoke tobacco prior to entering military service are almost twice as likely to attrite as nonsmokers, even after statistically controlling for education and mental ability. Moreover, smokers report higher rates of psychosocial and health problems prior to military service. These results support using smoking status as a personnel quality indicator for recruiting and assignment purposes and indicate that smokers, as a group, enter the military with identifiable psychosocial and physical vulnerabilities.

Highly realistic training for Navy corpsmen simulates real-life operational situations with the use of battlefield scenarios, live actors, cut suits, and pyrotechnics. In this study, a sample of corpsmen students attending the Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman School in San Diego participated in highly realistic training. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the corpsmen participants satisfaction with highly realistic training, and (2) determine the impact of highly realistic training on participants self-efficacy, perceived readiness, and career intentions. Corpsmen participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with the training overall and with specific elements of the training. Comparisons of pretest and posttest survey responses revealed that the training produced significant increases in participants levels of occupational, and task-specific self-efficacy, as well as their perceived readiness. Overall, these results suggest that highly realistic training is a useful and effective method for training corpsmen. It is suggested that highly realistic training be extended to other populations of military medical providers.

In this study, a sample of corpsmen students attending Field Medical Training Battalion West (FMTB West) participated in highly realistic training. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the corpsmen participants satisfaction with highly realistic training, and (2) assess the impact of highly realistic training on participants self-efficacy (i.e., confidence), perceived readiness, and career intentions. Corpsmen participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with the training overall and with specific elements of the training. The aspect of the training that was rated highest by participants was the use of live actors. Comparisons of pretest and posttest survey responses revealed that the training produced significant increases in participants levels of general, occupational, and task-specific self-efficacy, as well as their perceived readiness. Overall, these results suggest that highly realistic training is a useful and effective method for training corpsmen. It is suggested that highly realistic training be extended to other populations of military medical providers.

The U.S. Navy currently employs two types of trauma care training for Navy corpsmen: highly realistic training and live tissue training. Highly realistic training is a scenario-based training method that is uniquely crafted to replicate real-life combat settings. Live tissue training involves the use of live specimens (typically pigs or goats) to practice specific hands-on medical skills. The objective of this study was to obtain subjective information regarding the perceived effectiveness and the strengths and weaknesses of highly realistic training and live tissue training. The sample consisted of 25 Navy service members assigned to the Independent Duty Corpsman School, Surface Warfare Medical Institute in San Diego, CA. Participants completed brief surveys and semi-structured interviews. Results showed that participants perceived both types of training as equally effective on most dimensions. However, some unique strengths and weakness were reported for each type of training. While live tissue training may be better for practicing specific medical skills, highly realistic training may be better for preparing corpsmen for high stress, operational settings. Additional research is needed to improve highly realistic training and to extend its use to other military medical provider populations.

Mental disorders represent an important source of morbidity among U.S. military personnel and are a common reason for early separation from the military. The objective of this study was to identify factors predictive of hospitalization for mental health disorders in a large sample of enlisted Navy personnel. Demographic variables and a variety of psychosocial variables assessed on the Sailors' Health Inventory Program questionnaire were studied as predictors of psychiatric hospitalization. Three psychiatric categories were examined: adjustment reaction, personality disorder, and all other mental health disorders. Several variables were significantly predictive of all three categories of psychiatric hospitalization: female gender, low education level, history of abuse (physical, emotional, or sexual), and tobacco smoking. The results of this study support efforts to develop better psychological screening methods and potential interventions aimed at helping recruits adapt to military life.

The Sailors Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire is a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. This study was an investigation of the potential usefulness of the SHIP questionnaire for screening to reduce basic training attrition. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits. Although the most valid individual SHIP items for predicting attrition tended to be psychological or behavioral in nature, a composite of 40 diverse SHIP questions (including medical questions) was found to be the best overall attrition predictor. Further analyses revealed that the 40-item composite is a considerably more powerful attrition predictor than is either educational credential or mental ability score, which together are currently the U.S. military's primary attrition management tools. Finally, the consequences of using different cutoff scores on the 40-item composite were simulated so that various hypothetical screening strategies could be considered.

First-term attrition, defined as failing to complete the contracted first enlistment term, is one of the most serious and costly problems faced by the U.S. Navy. This study was an investigation of 1-year Navy attrition in relation to demographic factors and variables assessed by the Sailors' Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire, a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. Overall attrition, as well as specific categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral, and administrative), were studied. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits whose status (retention vs. attrition) could be tracked to the 1-year mark. The strongest predictors of overall attrition were educational level, self-reported history of shortness of breath, ever being suspended or expelled from school, history of depression/excessive worry, fainting or dizziness, and recurrent back pain. Many other medical and psychosocial items from SHIP were also predictive of attrition. Similar factors were associated with different categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral). The implications of these findings for attrition reduction strategies are discussed.

Little is known about the comparative effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that differ in duration but contain similar content. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two versions (6 hours vs. 3 hours) of a behavioral intervention called the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) in a sample of Marines. Marines were exposed to either a 6-hour or a 3-hour version of SHIP. Comparisons of pre-test and post-test knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intention scores revealed similar results for both versions. For both versions of the intervention, scores on sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge were significantly higher after the intervention. Both the 6-hour and the 3-hour versions of SHIP also led to significant increases on scales measuring social norms and behavioral intentions. The two versions of SHIP appeared to be of comparable effectiveness for producing short-term changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Research evaluating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) behavioral interventions among U.S. military personnel has been lacking. In this study, a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was implemented in a sample of Marine security guards. Participants were assessed before and after a three-session intervention on a measure of STDs/HIV knowledge and a number of psychosocial scales. The results indicated that STDs/HIV knowledge was significantly greater after the intervention. Significant pre-test vs. post-test differences were also found on the Social Norms, Behavioral Intentions, Attitudes toward Condoms, and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control scales. On Social Norms and Behavioral Intentions, the differences were as expected: subjects perceived greater social norms supporting condom use and had stronger intentions to practice safe sex after the intervention than they had before. On Attitudes toward Condoms and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control, the differences were not in the expected direction. Psychosocial factors associated with self-reported condom use were also identified.

Although a substantial number of studies have been conducted to evaluate the impact of various human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs, most of them have focused on civilian populations. There is a clear need to develop and evaluate sexually transmitted diseases (STD)/HIV prevention programs designed specifically for U.S. military populations. The objective of the present study was to determine whether a behavioral intervention known as the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) would have a sustained positive impact on the behavior of a sample of Marines. A 1-year follow-up telephone interview was administered to (1) Marines who participated in the SHIP course (intervention group), and (2) a quasi-control group of Marines who were not exposed to the SHIP course. The intervention and control groups differed significantly in the percentage of the time they had used condoms during the past year. The intervention participants reported using condoms a greater percentage of the time than the nonparticipants.

Psychological problems are the single most common reason for attrition from U.S. Navy basic training. A contributing factor is that, although military entrance processing station physicians assess numerous aspects of physical health, there is little rigor behind attempts to identify psychological disorders. In the present study, we highlight previous research indicating that patterns of physical health symptoms can provide a gauge of psychological dysfunction. We also report significant relationships between physical symptoms, anxiety, and depression in a sample of more than 2,000 sailors. Therefore, given the links between physical symptoms and psychological problems, it may be feasible for physicians who screen military applicants to use routinely gathered physical health information as part of an improved system to detect psychological disorders.

In this study, a behavioral intervention known as the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) was implemented at the Navy preventive medicine technician (PMT) school as a "train-the-trainer" course. Course evaluation questionnaires were administered to PMT students immediately after the training. Follow-up interviews evaluating the SHIP course were conducted with PMTs (N = 73) 1 year after the training. PMT students were fairly satisfied with SHIP overall, as well as with specific components of the course. As hypothesized, the SHIP train-the-trainer course was considered useful by most PMTs in their first duty assignments after completing PMT school.

Purpose Research suggests the importance of psychosocial factors in recovery from musculoskeletal injuries. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of recovery among U.S. Marines who had musculoskeletal injuries of the back, knee, or shoulder. Methods A sample of 134 participants was assessed at baseline and followed for 1 year to determine outcome information. Results The strongest predictor of injury recovery at the 1-year follow-up was recovery expectations. In a multivariate logistic model with key demographic and psychosocial factors controlled, individuals who had high recovery expectations at baseline were over five times as likely to be recovered at follow-up as individuals who had low expectations (OR = 5.18, p

Background Most previous research that has examined mental health among Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) combatants has relied on self-report measures to assess mental health outcomes; few studies have examined predictors of actual mental health diagnoses. The objective of this longitudinal investigation was to identify predictors of psychiatric disorders among Marines who deployed to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. Methods The study sample consisted of 1113 Marines who had deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. Demographic and psychosocial predictor variables from a survey that all Marines in the sample had completed were studied in relation to subsequent psychiatric diagnoses. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the influence of the predictors on the occurrence of psychiatric disorders. Results In a sample of Marines with no previous psychiatric disorder diagnoses, 18% were diagnosed with a new-onset psychiatric disorder. Adjusting for other variables, the strongest predictors of overall psychiatric disorders were female gender, mild traumatic brain injury symptoms, and satisfaction with leadership. Service members who expressed greater satisfaction with leadership were about half as likely to develop a mental disorder as those who were not satisfied. Unique predictors of specific types of mental disorders were also identified. Conclusions Overall, the study’s most relevant result was that two potentially modifiable factors, low satisfaction with leadership and low organizational commitment, predicted mental disorder diagnoses in a military sample. Additional research should aim to clarify the nature and impact of these factors on combatant mental health.

Preserving the mental health of U.S. military service members and their families is of paramount concern to military leaders, military medical providers, and the general public. When expeditionary Navy sailors deployed to combat zones in Afghanistan and Iraq were identified as a population that could potentially be at risk for mental health problems, the Behavioral Health Needs Assessment Survey (BHNAS) instrument was developed to monitor their mental health. The BHNAS is an anonymous survey that assesses the mental health, morale, and deployment-related stressors of Navy personnel who deploy to combat zones. The BHNAS was developed in response to a tasker that was issued by the Chief of Naval Operations. First administered to expeditionary Navy sailors in December 2006, the BHNAS instrument was designed to closely parallel the Army Mental Health Advisory Team (MHAT) survey. Like the Army MHAT, the Navy BHNAS assesses mental health problems as well as a variety of other content areas, including attitudes toward leadership, unit cohesion, combat experiences, deployment-related stressors, traumatic brain injury, and sleep problems. This report provides detailed information about the ninth version of the BHNAS instrument, including the content areas, scales, and items that make up the survey. The sources of survey items and scales are provided, and changes in content that have occurred across versions of the BHNAS are described.

A number of important methodological issues involving surveys have emerged in Navy research. One such issue is whether results from computer-administered sur- veys are equivalent to those obtained from paper-and-pencil surveys. After a review of relevant Navy studies, we concluded that computer and paper surveys generally yield equivalent results. The Navy's efforts and success at computerizing command- level equal opportunity surveys is described, and the advantages of this approach are discussed. The Navy's survey work on diversity issues (e.g., Hispanics, sexual harassment, and pregnancy) is described and the problems posed by attempting to use surveys to identify who is Hispanic and to determine accurate rates of sexual harassment and pregnancy are outlined. Future issues to be addressed by Navy survey research are discussed.

The quality of responses on computer and paper surveys was examined using 247 Navy recruits randomly assigned to a 2 (anonymous/identified) × 3 (administration modes: paper, computer-nonlinked, computer-linked) design. The computer-linked condition was included to simulate the ‘Big Brother Syndrome’ alluded to but not studied in past research. Higher levels of impression management were found in the identified computer-linked condition. It was concluded that perceiving that one's responses are linked to a larger database may lead to more impression management on computer surveys.

Although the effects of combat deployment on posttraumatic stress disorder have been extensively studied, little is known about the effects of combat deployment on depression and anxiety. This study examined the factors associated with anxiety and depression in a sample of 1560 US Marines who were deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Eleven demographic and psychosocial factors were studied in relation to depression and anxiety. Five factors emerged as significant in relation to depression: deployment-related stressors, combat exposure, attitudes toward leadership, mild traumatic brain injury symptoms, and marital status. The same factors, with the exception of marital status, emerged as significant in relation to anxiety. Deployment-related stressors had a stronger association with both depression and anxiety than any other variable, including combat exposure. This finding is important because deployment-related stressors are potentially modifiable by the military. Language: en

Broad personality traits may be important predictors of health behavior patterns. Two studies are reported which examined the associations between five major personality dimensions and four major health behavior dimensions. Prior associations between health behaviors and neurotic and extraverted personality tendencies generally were replicated. However, Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, two domains of personality that have received little research attention, emerged as important personality predictors of health behaviors. The results indicate that personality is a reliable predictor of health behavior patterns. It is suggested that the importance of personality has been underestimated in past research by the failure to consider appropriate health behavior criteria and the omission of important personality dimensions, such as Conscientiousness and Agreeableness, when studying health behavior patterns.

Turnover rates and factors related to job turnover among Hispanic and non-Hispanic blue-collar employees in the U.S. Navy's civilian work force were investigated. When the subjects started their jobs they were administered a questionnaire assessing possible predictors of turnover, such as acculturation level, method of recruitment, importance of job-related factors, and geographic location considerations. The Hispanic subjects were classified into low-acculturation (LAH) and high-acculturation (HAH) groups. Each subject's employment status (e.g., left vs. remained in the job) was determined 1 year from the date of initial employment, and its relationship to the predictors was analyzed. The results indicated that acculturation was related to turnover. The turnover rate for LAHs was significantly higher than it was for HAHs or for non-Hispanic Whites. Turnover was also higher for Hispanics who found their jobs through friends or relatives than for Hispanics who found their jobs through formal channels.

The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with antisocial behavior in 1,543 Marines who deployed to combat zones in support of conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan during 2002-2007. Five factors were associated with antisocial behavior in multivariate analyses: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, deployment-related stressors, combat exposure, younger age, and being divorced. PTSD symptoms had a stronger association with antisocial behavior than any other variable. A unique and important finding of this study was the association between deployment-related stressors and a higher incidence of antisocial behavior. Because deployment-related stressors are potentially modifiable, the military may be able to address them in concrete ways such as by shortening deployments and improving communication with home.

Lautenschlager and Flaherty (1990) unexpectedly found that more socially desirable responding occurred on a computer version of an attitude and personality questionnaire than on a paper-and-pencil version. The present study attempted to replicate and extend their findings in a noncollege environment. Male Navy recruits (N=246) completed several questionnaires in either a computer-administered or paper-and-pencil condition and in either an anymous or identified condition. Identified respondents had higher impression management and self-deceptive enhancement scores than anonymous respondents. Contrary to Lautenschlager and Fmaherty's results, however, there was no systematic difference between computer and paper-and-pencil modes. It is concluded that computer and paper-and-pencil modes of administration yield similar responses on attitude questionnaires

As part of a larger investigation of response effects on organizational surveys, the present study compared the responses of Hispanic and non-Hispanic U.S. Navy recruits on the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding (BIDR). The inventory contains two measures of socially desirable responding: impression management, the deliberate tendency to over-report desirable behaviors and under-report undesirable ones, and self-deceptive enhancement, the tendency to give overly positive but honest self-reports. Hispanic recruits had significantly higher scores than non-Hispanic Whites on impression management; the two groups did not, however, differ on self-deceptive enhancement. These findings suggest that Hispanics may be more likely than non-Hispanic Whites to present a positive picture of themselves to others but do not differ from non-Hispanic Whites on the amount of positive self-deceptive enhancement they engage in. The results were interpreted with reference to the Hispanic cultural value of simp...

The objective of this longitudinal study was to identify risk factors for combat-related psychiatric disorders. The sample consisted of 6442 enlisted U.S. Marines who completed a questionnaire during basic training, deployed to a combat zone with no prior psychiatric diagnoses, and completed a postdeployment assessment form. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine associations between predeployment and postdeployment self-reports and subsequent mental health outcomes. During the observation period, 6.8% of the sample were diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder. The strongest predictors of postdeployment psychiatric disorders were, in order of importance, low paygrade, hospitalization during deployment, low education, preservice smoking, and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms at deployment's end. The impact of war zone variables was smaller than expected. It was recommended that the combat experience section of the military's postdeployment assessment form be expanded to enhance the military's ability to identify and refer personnel who may be at risk for psychiatric disorders.

Studies of PTSD in military populations have repeatedly demonstrated a dose-response relationship between combat exposures and PTSD symptoms. While this relationship is compelling, the strong focus on objective events (combat exposures) has lead to a diminished emphasis on subjective reactions such as horror and helplessness. In this manuscript we (1) replicate the dose-response relationship in a sample of Navy personnel deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom, and (2) demonstrate that subjective reactions to events account for more of the variance in PTSD than is explained by objectively reported combat exposures. We conclude that service members must be prepared not just for general aspects of combat stress, but also for feelings of intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

Research studies have identified heightened psychiatric problems among veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). However, these studies have not compared incidence rates of psychiatric disorders across robust cohorts, nor have they documented psychiatric problems prior to combat exposure. The authors' objectives in this study were to determine incidence rates of diagnosed mental disorders in a cohort of Marines deployed to combat during OIF or OEF in 2001-2005 and to compare these with mental disorder rates in two historical and two contemporary military control groups. After exclusion of persons who had been deployed to a combat zone with a preexisting psychiatric diagnosis, the cumulative rate of post-OIF/-OEF mental disorders was 6.4%. All psychiatric conditions except post-traumatic stress disorder occurred at a lower rate in combat-deployed personnel than in personnel who were not deployed to a combat zone. The findings suggest that psychiatric disorders in Marines are diagnosed most frequently during the initial months of recruit training rather than after combat deployment. The disproportionate loss of psychologically unfit personnel early in training creates a "healthy warrior effect," because only those persons who have proven their resilience during training remain eligible for combat.

First-term attrition, defined as failing to complete the contracted first enlistment term, is one of the most serious and costly problems faced by the U.S. Navy. This study was an investigation of 1-year Navy attrition in relation to demographic factors and variables assessed by the Sailors' Health Inventory Program (SHIP) questionnaire, a medical and psychosocial history questionnaire completed by all Navy recruits. Overall attrition, as well as specific categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral, and administrative), were studied. The sample consisted of 66,690 Navy recruits whose status (retention vs. attrition) could be tracked to the 1-year mark. The strongest predictors of overall attrition were educational level, self-reported history of shortness of breath, ever being suspended or expelled from school, history of depression/excessive worry, fainting or dizziness, and recurrent back pain. Many other medical and psychosocial items from SHIP were also predictive of attrition. Similar factors were associated with different categories of attrition (e.g., medical, behavioral). The implications of these findings for attrition reduction strategies are discussed.

Little is known about the comparative effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus prevention interventions that differ in duration but contain similar content. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of two versions (6 hours vs. 3 hours) of a behavioral intervention called the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) in a sample of Marines. Marines were exposed to either a 6-hour or a 3-hour version of SHIP. Comparisons of pre-test and post-test knowledge, attitude, and behavioral intention scores revealed similar results for both versions. For both versions of the intervention, scores on sexually transmitted diseases/human immunodeficiency virus knowledge were significantly higher after the intervention. Both the 6-hour and the 3-hour versions of SHIP also led to significant increases on scales measuring social norms and behavioral intentions. The two versions of SHIP appeared to be of comparable effectiveness for producing short-term changes in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.

Research evaluating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) behavioral interventions among U.S. military personnel has been lacking. In this study, a behavioral intervention to prevent HIV and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was implemented in a sample of Marine security guards. Participants were assessed before and after a three-session intervention on a measure of STDs/HIV knowledge and a number of psychosocial scales. The results indicated that STDs/HIV knowledge was significantly greater after the intervention. Significant pre-test vs. post-test differences were also found on the Social Norms, Behavioral Intentions, Attitudes toward Condoms, and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control scales. On Social Norms and Behavioral Intentions, the differences were as expected: subjects perceived greater social norms supporting condom use and had stronger intentions to practice safe sex after the intervention than they had before. On Attitudes toward Condoms and Self-Efficacy/Impulse Control, the differences were not in the expected direction. Psychosocial factors associated with self-reported condom use were also identified.

Although military personnel are at high risk for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV, behavioral interventions to prevent STDs/HIV in U.S. military populations have been lacking. In this study, a behavioral intervention known as the STD/HIV Intervention Program (SHIP) was implemented in the Navy preventive medicine technician (PMT) school as a "train-the-trainer" course. Course evaluation questionnaires were administered to PMT students immediately after the training. Follow-up interviews evaluating the SHIP course were conducted with PMTs (N=73)1 year after the training. PMT students were fairly satisfied with SHIP overall, as well as with specific components of the course. As hypothesized, the SHIP train-the-trainer course was considered useful by most PMTs in their first duty assignments after completing PMT school.

Only a small fraction of Navy members who experience sexual harassment use the Navy's formal grievance channels to report it. This study was conducted to identify factors associated with reporting of sexual harassment and with the filing of formal sexual harassment grievances. Telephone interviews were conducted with 228 Navy women (158 enlisted women and 70 women officers) who had been sexually harassed in the past year. The results showed that respondents were more likely to report sexual harassment if they regarded the harassment they experienced as serious, had expected positive consequences as a result of reporting, and had been encouraged to report it. Respondents were more likely to file a formal sexual harassment grievance if they regarded the sexual harassment they experienced as serious and if the harassment had involved stalking or invasion of residence. The most common reasons respondents gave for not reporting sexual harassment and for not filing grievances were that their other actions worked to stop the harassment and that they were afraid of the negative consequences.

The subjective quality of life (QOL) of a sample of enlisted Navy personnel (68 males and 64 females) was studied. Measures were administered assessing: global QOL, satisfaction with 13 life domains, satisfaction with the Navy, satisfaction with Navy job, personality dimensions, and demographic characteristics. Subjective global QOL for this Navy sample was high. Respondents were the most satisfied with Relations With Your Children, Marriage/Romantic Relationship, and Health. They were the least satisfied with Income/Standard of Living, Neighborhood, Community, and the Navy. The life domains that contributed the most to respondents' global subjective QOL were Income/Standard of Living, Marriage/Romantic Relationship, Job and Self. In general, the demographic variables were not related to subjective QOL. Each of the six personality variables studied was significantly associated with global QOL. The results of this investigation were compared with past civilian QOL research, and their implications for the Navy were discussed. Quality of life, Subjective well-being, Personality, Satisfaction with the Navy.

The objectives of the research were to (1) validate enlistment standards against job outcome criteria, (2) compare the average job outcomes of personnel who were below enlistment standards with those of personnel who met standards, and (3) develop background information about job outcome measures. A sample of 71,000 males enlisted during 1976 was extracted from Navy records. They were classified according to membership in five mental level (ML) categories and three educational level categories. A subset of the sample who enlisted erroneously, due to Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery misnoming, were identified and their enlisted performance compared to that of fully qualified enlistees. They were compared on six job outcome and three advancement examination criteria extracted: from Navy records. Study conclusions were: Level of education acquired prior to accession is strongly associated with success. High school graduates have substantially better advancement, attrition and disciplinary records than either non-high school graduates (NHSOs) or individuals with general education development (GED) certificates. GEDs have somewhat better performance than NHSG certificates, but the differences were not that great Personnel in high ML categories had better advancement and attrition records than low ML personnel, however, this may be a function of high ML personnel being assigned to ratings with faster advancement potential. In summary, enlistment standards screen out the least capable as indicated by marked decreases in promotion and retention of individuals unqualified.

The nature of the relation between personality factors and coronary heart disease (CHD, the nation's greatest killer) is one of the most important if controversial issues in the field of psychology and health. Although there is still a great deal of conceptual confusion, progress is being made in refining the key components of a predisposition to heart disease. In this article we examine the construct of a coronary-prone personality in the context of the relations among personality, emotional expression, and disease. Special consideration is given to mode of measurement of the Type A behavior pattern--Structural Interview (SI) versus Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS)--and to components and non-Type A correlates of the general coronary-prone construct. Fifty middle-aged men who had had a myocardial infarction were compared with 50 healthy controls in terms of relevant aspects of their psychological functioning. Results indicate that the SI is better than the JAS as a predictor of coronary heart disease (CHD) because of its attention to emotional expressive style. Traditional emphases on hurry sickness in coronary proneness are deemed wholly inadequate. Furthermore, the results indicate that depression, anxiety, or both may relate to CHD independently of and in addition to Type A behavior. Other aspects of personality and social support are also discussed in the context of improving the construct of coronary proneness.