The Psychological Factors of Military Man Stress Experience

Abstract

The article describes the concept of combat stress as a multilevel process of adaptive activity of the human body under combat conditions, accompanied by the stress of the mechanisms of reactive self-regulation and the fixation of specific adaptive psychophysiological changes. It is stated that the intensity of the experience of combat stress on military personnel depends on the interaction of two main factors: strength and duration of influence of combat stressors on the psyche of a military serviceman as well as peculiarities of the serviceman's response to their influence. It is emphasized that military personnel are characterized by such psychological factor of experiencing stress as "adaptability" - they show sufficient and high level of personal adaptive potential, military-professional orientation, lack of propensity for deviant and suicidal behavior; have prevailing motivational settings for friendly support, sociability, friendly comfortable condition and "normal" adaptation; "Relatively adapted" - exhibit a satisfactory, sufficient and high level of personal adaptive capacity, military-professional orientation, low propensity for deviant and suicidal behavior; have predominant motivational settings to overcome obstacles, maintain stability and achieve success without significant effort or dive into themselves as a way of distinguishing themselves from difficult external circumstances. It is determined that the next factor in the experience of stress is "maladaptation" - showing low and satisfactory levels of personal adaptive capacity, military and vocational orientation, some signs of deviant behavior and suicidal risk; have predominant motivations or tendencies towards leadership in the cases of high self-esteem, or for distraction, seclusion, anxiety, asthenization and shyness, or motivation for entertainment. It has been researched that the overall level of adaptation to combat stress is significantly higher in divorced servicemen, but this does not mean that it will also manifest itself in a peaceful life. The military-professional orientation of the divorced ones is also much higher than that of their unmarried and married brothers. It is found that the highest levels are clearly found in sergeants and senior sergeants (compared to lieutenants and soldiers), and the lowest level of adaptive capacity, including communication potential, is observed in secondary school graduates compared to those with specific secondary education and higher education. It is revealed that there is a decrease in the tendency to deviant behavior with the aging of military personnel.