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Michaud K, Barbeau-Julien K, Slinger M. Transformational leadership, well-being, morale, and readiness: The mediating role of empowerment. MILITARY PSYCHOLOGY 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38386695 DOI: 10.1080/08995605.2024.2319522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Transformational leadership is embedded in the value system of the Canadian military ethos. Research suggests that transformational leadership can be viewed as a form of empowering leadership facilitating empowered psychological states among their followers, which in turn, enhances their performance, wellbeing, and engagement. The current study examined the associations between transformational leadership and Canadian Armed Forces members' psychological distress, morale, and pre-deployment readiness and the mediating role of psychological empowerment in these relationships. A path analysis model of the data collected through a pre-deployment survey completed by Canadian Armed Force (CAF) members (N = 2,391) revealed that transformational leadership was associated with lower psychological distress and greater morale and these relationships were partly explained by increased feelings of empowerment, namely higher levels of autonomy, competence, and meaning. Furthermore, transformational leadership was also associated with higher perceptions of pre-deployment readiness, and this was partly explained by increased feelings of meaning and competence. The results of this research suggest that transformational leadership is an effective strategy to bolster psychological resources and readiness in the CAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy Michaud
- Department of National Defence, Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Kheana Barbeau-Julien
- Department of National Defence, Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Michael Slinger
- Department of National Defence, Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Ottawa, Ontario
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Doring N, Hwang YIJ, Akpanekpo E, Gullotta M, Ton B, Knight L, Knight C, Schofield P, Butler TG. Predicting attrition of men with a history of violence from randomised clinical trials. Trials 2023; 24:740. [PMID: 37978559 PMCID: PMC10657031 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-023-07774-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Preventing dropout (attrition) from clinical trials is vital for improving study validity. Dropout is particularly important in justice-involved populations as they can be very challenging to engage and recruit in the first instance. This study identifies factors associated with dropout in a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised control trial of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) aimed at reducing reoffending in highly impulsive men with histories of violent offending. Age, education, social support, psychiatric history, and length of previous incarceration were identified as factors that predict attrition. These findings are consistent with previous research examining variables associated with attrition in clinical trials for community and offender populations. We also explored referral source and treatment allocation as attrition predictors. Although neither significantly predicted attrition, we identified that there are discernible differences in the median time to attrition among the referral source subgroups. Understanding factors that predict treatment completion and attrition will allow researchers to identify participants for whom additional provisions may optimise retention and inform development of targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Doring
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ye In Jane Hwang
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emaediong Akpanekpo
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Mathew Gullotta
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Bianca Ton
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lee Knight
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Crosbi Knight
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Peter Schofield
- The University of New Castle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia
- Neuropsychiatry Service, Hunter New England Mental Health, Newcastle, NSW, Australia
| | - Tony Gerard Butler
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Nazarov A, Fikretoglu D, Liu A, Born J, Michaud K, Hendriks T, Bélanger SA, Do MT, Lam Q, Brooks B, King K, Sudom K, Jetly R, Garber B, Thompson M. Moral Distress, Mental Health, and Risk and Resilience Factors Among Military Personnel Deployed to Long-Term Care Facilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Research Protocol and Participation Metrics. JMIR Res Protoc 2023; 12:e44299. [PMID: 37676877 PMCID: PMC10629501 DOI: 10.2196/44299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada were marked by a significant surge in COVID-19 cases and COVID-19-related deaths among residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). As part of Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel were mobilized for an initial emergency domestic deployment to the hardest-hit LTCFs (Operation LASER LTCF) to support the remaining civilian staff in ensuring the continued delivery of care to residents. Akin to what was observed following past CAF international humanitarian missions, there was an expected increased risk of exposure to multiple stressors that may be psychologically traumatic and potentially morally injurious in nature (ie, related to core values, eg, witnessing human suffering). Emerging data from health care workers exposed to the unprecedented medical challenges and dilemmas of the early pandemic stages also indicated that such experiences were associated with increased risk of adverse mental health outcomes. OBJECTIVE This study aims to identify and quantify the individual-, group-, and organizational-level risk and resilience factors associated with moral distress, moral injury, and traditional mental health and well-being outcomes of Operation LASER LTCF CAF personnel. This paper aimed to document the methodology, implementation procedures, and participation metrics. METHODS A multimethod research initiative was conducted consisting of 2 primary data collection studies (a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews). The quantitative arm was a complete enumeration survey with web-based, self-report questionnaires administered at 3 time points (3, 6, and 12 mo after deployment). The qualitative arm consisted of individual, web-based interviews with a focus on understanding the nuanced lived experiences of individuals participating in the Operation LASER LTCF deployment. RESULTS CAF personnel deployed to Operation LASER LTCF (N=2595) were invited to participate in the study. Data collection is now complete. Overall, of the 2595 deployed personnel, 1088 (41.93%), 582 (22.43%), and 497 (19.15%) responded to the survey at time point 1 (3 mo), time point 2 (6 mo), and time point 3 (12 mo) after deployment, respectively. The target sample size for the qualitative interviews was set at approximately 50 considering resourcing and data saturation. Interest in participating in qualitative interviews surpassed expectations, with >200 individuals expressing interest; this allowed for purposive sampling across key characteristics, including gender, rank, Operation LASER LTCF role, and province. In total, 53 interviews were conducted. CONCLUSIONS The data generated through this research have the potential to inform and promote better understanding of the well-being and mental health of Operation LASER LTCF personnel over time; identify general and Operation LASER LTCF-specific risk and protective factors; provide necessary support to the military personnel who served in this mission; and inform preparation and interventions for future missions, especially those more domestic and humanitarian in nature. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/44299.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Nazarov
- MacDonald Franklin Operational Stress Injury Research Centre, Lawson Health Research Institute, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- HumanSystems Inc, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Deniz Fikretoglu
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aihua Liu
- HumanSystems Inc, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Jennifer Born
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Kathy Michaud
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tonya Hendriks
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | | | - Minh T Do
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Quan Lam
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Brenda Brooks
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kristen King
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Kerry Sudom
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Rakesh Jetly
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bryan Garber
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Megan Thompson
- Defence Research and Development Canada, Department of National Defence, Toronto, ON, Canada
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Sathe H, Thakre M, Talapalliwar M. Psychometric properties of Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale (K10) in cancer patients. ARCHIVES OF MENTAL HEALTH 2022. [DOI: 10.4103/amh.amh_104_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
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Skomorovsky A, McCuaig Edge HJ, Lee JE, Wan C, Dursun S. Military to civilian transition challenges, caregiving activities, and well-being among spouses of newly released Canadian Armed Forces Veterans. JOURNAL OF MILITARY, VETERAN AND FAMILY HEALTH 2020. [DOI: 10.3138/jmvfh-2019-0026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Transition to civilian life may not only be highly challenging for service members, but also for their spouses, especially following a medical release. Often, the families of ill or injured service members must confront unexpected responsibilities related to caring for the member, while having to adjust to civilian life. This study was conducted to examine military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving among spouses of newly released Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) Veterans and their associations with spousal well-being. Methods: The Canadian Armed Forces Transition and Well-Being Survey (CAFTWS) was administered to spouses of CAF Veterans released in 2016 ( N = 595). The survey assessed spouses’ experiences with a range of military to civilian transition challenges and engagement in caregiving, as well as various indicators of their well-being (e.g., daily stress and psychological distress). Regression analyses were conducted to assess the associations of transition challenges and caregiving with well-being. Results: Results revealed that challenges related to finding educational opportunities and health care providers, and loss of military identity, as well as more frequent engagement in caregiving, were significantly associated with elevated levels of daily stress and psychological distress among spouses of Veterans. Discussion: This study is among the first to examine transition experiences, caregiving and well-being in a representative sample of Veterans’ spouses. Findings outline key challenges experienced and underline important predictors of well-being. Recommendations on services that could help facilitate or improve the experiences of families during the transition process are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alla Skomorovsky
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
| | - Heather J. McCuaig Edge
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
- Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
| | - Jennifer E.C. Lee
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
| | - Cynthia Wan
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
| | - Sanela Dursun
- Director General Military Personnel Research and Analysis, Department of National Defence, Ottawa, ON
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Fikretoglu D, Liu A, Nazarov A, Blackler K. A group randomized control trial to test the efficacy of the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program among Canadian military recruits. BMC Psychiatry 2019; 19:326. [PMID: 31664960 PMCID: PMC6819517 DOI: 10.1186/s12888-019-2287-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite increased interest in workplace mental health interventions, the evidence for beneficial effects is mixed. Furthermore, many existing studies lack methodological rigor. We report results from a group randomized control trial to test the efficacy of a vastly popular intervention in Canada, the Road to Mental Readiness (R2MR) program, which has been widely disseminated in military, first responder, and civilian settings. METHODS The trial took place among Canadian Armed Forces military recruits completing their basic military qualification (BMQ) training, and randomized 65 platoons (N = 2831) into either (a) an Intervention (R2MR at week 2 of BMQ), or (b) a delayed Intervention Control (R2MR at week 9 of BMQ) condition. The principal investigator, participants, and data collection staff were blinded to platoon condition. Individual-level psychological functioning, resilience, mental health service use attitudes, intentions, and behaviours, and additional covariates were assessed with questionnaires around week 2 (a day or two before Intervention platoons received R2MR), at week 5, and at week 9 (a day or two before the Control platoons received R2MR). Military performance outcomes were obtained from administrative databases. RESULTS The full trial results were mixed; for some outcomes (psychological functioning, resilience, and military performance), we saw no evidence of beneficial effects; where we did see benefits (mental health service use attitudes, intentions, behaviours), the effects were very small, or disappeared over time. Analyses among two subsamples (Group 1: Intervention platoons with a Fidelity Check and their Controls, and Group 2: Intervention platoons without Fidelity Check and their Controls) indicated that for some outcomes (attitudes and help-seeking), under high fidelity conditions, the beneficial effects of R2MR were increased and better sustained; Conversely, under poor fidelity conditions, decreased beneficial effects or even iatrogenic effects were observed. Analyses across three training divisions indicated the larger organizational climate further influences efficacy. CONCLUSIONS Our findings paint a very complex picture in which it is made evident that sensible, evidence-informed workplace mental health interventions such as R2MR may work under high fidelity conditions, but may yield no discernable benefit or even inadvertent iatrogenic effects if implemented poorly or without sufficient consideration to the larger organizational context. TRIAL REGISTRATION ISRCTN 52557050 Registered 13 October 2016.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Fikretoglu
- Defence Research and Development Canada - Toronto Research Centre, 1133 Sheppard Ave West, Toronto, Ontario, M3K 2C9, Canada.
| | - Aihua Liu
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Anthony Nazarov
- The MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Parkwood Institute, St. Joseph's Health Care London, London, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kristen Blackler
- Defence Research and Development Canada - Toronto Research Centre, 1133 Sheppard Ave West, Toronto, Ontario, M3K 2C9, Canada
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Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Zamorski MA, Colman I. Mental Disorder, Psychological Distress, and Functional Status in Canadian Military Personnel. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2018; 63:620-628. [PMID: 29490473 PMCID: PMC6109882 DOI: 10.1177/0706743718762098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE We examined the overlap between mood and anxiety disorders and psychological distress and their associations with functional status in Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) personnel. METHOD Data on Regular Forces personnel ( N = 6700) were derived from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey, a nationally representative survey of the CAF personnel. Current psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler K10 scale. Past-month mood and anxiety disorders were assessed using the World Health Organization World Mental Health Composite Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS The prevalence of psychological distress was the same as that of any past-month mood or anxiety disorder (7.1% for each). A total of 3.8% had both distress and past-month mood or anxiety disorder, 3.3% had past-month disorder without psychological distress, while another 3.3% had psychological distress in the absence of a past-month mood or anxiety disorder. After adjusting for age, sex, marital, education, income, language, element, rank, and alcohol use disorder, individuals with both psychological distress and past-month mood and anxiety disorders exhibited the highest levels of disability, days out of role, and work absenteeism relative to those with neither mental disorders nor psychological distress. Relative to individuals with both disorder and distress, those who endured distress in the absence of mental disorder exhibited lower, but meaningful, levels of disability compared with those with neither disorder nor distress. CONCLUSIONS Disability is most severe among CAF personnel with both distress and past-month mood and anxiety disorders. Nevertheless, distress in the absence of disorder is prevalent and is associated with meaningful levels of disability.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark A Zamorski
- 2 Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario.,3 Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Ian Colman
- 1 School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
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Sampasa-Kanyinga H, Zamorski MA, Colman I. The psychometric properties of the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) in Canadian military personnel. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196562. [PMID: 29698459 PMCID: PMC5919406 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The psychometric properties of the ten-item Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K10) have been extensively explored in civilian populations. However, documentation of its psychometric properties in military populations is limited, and there is no universally accepted cut-off score on the K10 to distinguish clinical vs. sub-clinical levels of distress. The objective of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the K10 in Canadian Armed Forces personnel. Data on 6700 Regular Forces personnel were obtained from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey. The internal consistency and factor structure of the K10 (range, 0–40) were examined using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to select optimal cut-offs for the K10, using the presence/absence of any of four past-month disorders as the outcome (posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, and panic disorder). Cronbach’s alpha (0.88) indicated a high level of internal consistency of the K10. Results from CFA indicated that a single-factor 10-item construct had an acceptable overall fit: root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.05; 90% confidence interval (CI):0.05–0.06, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.99, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = 0.99, weighted root mean square residual (WRMR) = 2.06. K10 scores were strongly associated with both the presence and recency of all four measured disorders. The area under the ROC curve was 0.92, demonstrating excellent predictive value for past-30-day disorders. A K10 score of 10 or greater was optimal for screening purposes (sensitivity = 86%; specificity = 83%), while a score of 17 or greater (sensitivity = 53%; specificity = 97%) was optimal for prevalence estimation of clinically significant psychological distress, in that it resulted in equal numbers of false positives and false negatives. Our results suggest that K10 scale has satisfactory psychometric properties for use as a measure of non-specific psychological distress in the military population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugues Sampasa-Kanyinga
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Mark A. Zamorski
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ian Colman
- School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Searle AK, Van Hooff M, McFarlane AC, Davies CE, Tran T, Hodson SE, Benassi HP, Steele NM. Screening for Depression and Psychological Distress in a Currently Serving Military Population: The Diagnostic Accuracy of the K10 and the PHQ9. Assessment 2017; 26:1411-1426. [PMID: 29192508 DOI: 10.1177/1073191117745124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
This study is the first to examine the diagnostic accuracy of two depression screening scales-the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-in an entire regular-serving military population. Currently serving Australian Defence Force personnel (n = 24,481) completed the K10 and PHQ9. Then a targeted subsample (i.e., the analysis sample, n = 1,730) completed a diagnostic interview to identify DSM-IV 30-day disorder. Weighted results represented the entire population (N = 50,049). Both scales similarly showed a good ability to discriminate between personnel with and without depressive disorders. Optimal cutoffs (19 for K10, 6 for PHQ9) showed high sensitivity and good specificity, and were similar to though slightly lower than those recommended in civilian populations. Both scales appear to be valid screens for depressive disorder in the military, using the cutoffs identified. As both performed similarly, scale choice may depend on other factors (e.g., availability of norms).
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Affiliation(s)
- Amelia K Searle
- University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Thao Tran
- University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.,Department of Health, Queensland Government, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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10
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Easton SD, Safadi NS, Wang Y, Hasson RG. The Kessler psychological distress scale: translation and validation of an Arabic version. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2017; 15:215. [PMID: 29078774 PMCID: PMC5658946 DOI: 10.1186/s12955-017-0783-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale has been widely used in assessing psychological distress among general and clinical populations from different cultural backgrounds. To our knowledge, however, researchers have not yet validated any translated versions in Arabic. The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of Arabic translations of the ten item (K10) and six item (K6) versions among public sector employees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Methods As part of a larger research project on life satisfaction, researchers collected data from 234 Palestinian social workers in June and July of 2016. The survey included several mental health measures, including the K10, which were translated from English to Arabic by an experienced language expert. In the current study, we tested reliability by measuring internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Next, we assessed factor structure using variance-covariance matrix with maximum likelihood estimation. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine three competing models: unidimensional K10 model, unidimensional K6 model and two-factor K6 model. Fit indices and parameter estimates were reported. Last, convergent validity was examined by assessing correlations with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) and Somatic Symptoms Scale (SSS-8). Results The mean scores for the K6 and K10 were, respectively, 12.87 (SD = 4.02) and 21.8 (SD = 6.7), indicative of mild to moderate levels of distress. Scale reliability analysis showed satisfactory results on both K6 and K10 versions (Cronbach’s α = .81 (K6) and .88 (K10)). Among three competing models, the two-factor K6 scale demonstrated the best model fit with high factorial correlations (r = .60, p < .001). Moreover, the K6 has high convergent validity with GAD-7 (r = .66, p < .001) and SSS-8 (r = .61, p < .001). Conclusion Results indicated that the translated version of the two-factor K6 scale is a valid and reliable measurement of psychological distress. Our findings suggest that practitioners and researchers can use this instrument in screening and assessing psychological symptoms with Arabic-speaking populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott D Easton
- School of Social Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, McGuinn Hall, Room 207, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
| | - Najwa S Safadi
- Department of Social Work, Al-Quds University, Main Campus, Abu Dies, P.O Box 51000, Jerusalem, Palestine
| | - Yihan Wang
- School of Social Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, McGuinn Hall, Room 207, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - Robert G Hasson
- School of Social Work, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, McGuinn Hall, Room 207, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
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Zamorski MA, Bennett RE, Boulos D, Garber BG, Jetly R, Sareen J. The 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey: Background and Methods. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY. REVUE CANADIENNE DE PSYCHIATRIE 2016; 61:10S-25S. [PMID: 27270738 PMCID: PMC4800478 DOI: 10.1177/0706743716632731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey (CFMHS) collected detailed information on mental health problems, their impacts, occupational and nonoccupational determinants of mental health, and the use of mental health services from a random sample of 8200 serving personnel. The objective of this article is to provide a firm scientific foundation for understanding and interpreting the CFMHS findings. METHODS This narrative review first provides a snapshot of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), focusing on 2 key determinants of mental health: the deployment of more than 40,000 personnel in support of the mission in Afghanistan and the extensive renewal of the CAF mental health system. The findings of recent population-based CAF mental health research are reviewed, with a focus on findings from the very similar mental health survey done in 2002. Finally, key aspects of the methods of the 2013 CFMHS are presented. RESULTS The findings of 20 peer-reviewed publications using the 2002 mental health survey data are reviewed, along with those of 25 publications from other major CAF mental health research projects executed over the past decade. CONCLUSIONS More than a decade of population-based mental health research in the CAF has provided a detailed picture of its mental health and use of mental health services. This knowledge base and the homology of the 2013 survey with the 2002 CAF survey and general population surveys in 2002 and 2012 will provide an unusual opportunity to use the CFMHS to situate mental health in the CAF in a historical and societal perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Zamorski
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario Department of Family Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Rachel E Bennett
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - David Boulos
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Bryan G Garber
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Rakesh Jetly
- Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group, Ottawa, Ontario
| | - Jitender Sareen
- Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba
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