Psychological Issues in Peacekeeping Operations
- Early maladjustment
- 5 weeks
- higher risk in those with Axis I disorders
- e.g. depression, conversion disorder, adjustment disorder
-
- Late maladjustment
- breakdown of interpersonal support systems
-
- Hall DP: Stress, suicide, and military service during Operation
Uphold Democracy, Military Medicine, Vol. 161, pp 159-162, March
1996
- Problems in Peacekeeping Operations
- Powerlessness
- Rules-of-engagement restrictions
- Limited activity/productivity
- Cultural/Language differences
- Relative deprivation
- Isolation
- Remote areas
- Cultural isolation
- Restricted mobility
- Newly configured units
- Lack of information/communication
- slow mail, poor access to telephones
- Lack of recognition
- Ambiguity
- Role confusion
- Mission definition/Mission creep
- Command structures confusion
- Doubts about value of mission
- Unclear endpoint
- Boredom
- Repetition and predictability
- Lack of Work
- Change in expectations
- Threat/Danger
- May increase unpredictably
- Lack of recognition
- Fear of political consequences to actions
-
- Top stressors at mid-deployment
- missing spouse
- boredom
- draw down
- lack of access to transportation
- uncertainty about future
-
- Solutions
- unit cohesion and pride
- realistic training
- professional development
- variety of experiences
- critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)
-
- Bartone PT, Adler AB: A model for soldier psychological adaptation
in peacekeeping operations. Presented at the 36th Annual conference
of the International Military Testing Association, Rotterdam,
the Netherlands, October 1994. US Army Medical Research Unit-
Europe, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Heidelberg, Germany
-
-
-
- Pre-deployment issues:
- Soldier Role Identity
- Selection Issues
- Leader Training
- Communication
- Team Building
- Rear Detachment
- Family Services
- Soldier Role Identity
- Different types of missions
- Missions may change in nature
- Training helps:
- Special mission training
- Teach restraint, control, teamwork
- Selection Issues
- Physical and medical fitness
- Screen for drug and alcohol use
- Ensure family care plans
- Address psychosocial issues
- Use volunteers when possible
- Use mature soldiers
- Use training deployments to reveal problems
- Require self-control, and tolerance for ambiguity
- Leader Training
- Clarify the mission
- Family support
- Nature and problems of specific types of missions
- Communication
- Meet together
- Train together
- Assign clear chain of command, roles and responsibilities
- Conduct soldier and family briefings
- Include rear detachment in communication channels
- Team Building
- Rear Detachment
- Family Services
-
- Loneliness and Frustration Disorders: Presentations
- Substance Abuse
- Sexual Problems
- STD
- Pregnancy
- Fraternization
- Indiscipline
- Dehumanization of local nationals
- Depression
- Conflict with other groups/forces
- Withdrawal
-
- Prevention
- Unit Cohesion
- Realistic Training
- Rest and Nutrition
- Professional development
- Variety of experiences
- Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD)
- COMMUNICATION!
-
- Bartone PT, Adler AB: Peacekeeping operations: Psychological
Preparation. April 1995. US Army Medical Research Unit- Europe,
Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Heidelberg, Germany