RESILIENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH AMONG SOLDIERS WOUNDED IN COMBAT AT 44 NIGERIAN ARMY REFERENCE HOSPITAL, KADUNA.

Abstract

Military operations expose soldiers to various stressors and traumatic events, whichcan often lead to negative psychological outcomes such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),depression, and anxiety. However, some soldiers experience Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG),demonstrating positive changes despite adversity. This study aimed to examine the role ofresilience in contributing to PTG among Nigerian soldiers wounded in action. Using a cross-sectional survey design and purposive sampling, 109 male wounded-in-action soldiers wereselected from the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. Resilience was measured usingthe Brief Resilience Scale, and PTG was measured using the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory.Results showed that resilience (β = .321, p = .004) significantly predicted PTG. Specifically,resilience was a significant predictor of PTG, F(1, 105) = 8.76, p = .004, R² = .103, indicating thatresilience accounted for 10.3% of the variance in PTG. Although this R² value is relatively low, itsuggests that resilience, while significant, may not be the sole factor influencing PTG, and othervariables may contribute to these outcomes. The study concluded that resilience is a key factor inpromoting PTG among wounded-in-action soldiers. Based on these findings, it is recommendedthat the military develop and implement comprehensive resilience-building activities amongdeployed soldiers.