Post-combat invincibility: violent combat experiences are associated with increased risk-taking propensity following...

Area of Science:

• Military Psychology
• Trauma Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Combat exposure is linked to mental health issues and increased risk-taking in service members.
• Returning soldiers may exhibit heightened propensity for unsafe behaviors post-deployment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific combat experiences and risk-taking propensity in returning US Army Soldiers.
• To determine if combat exposure predicts post-deployment risk-related behaviors.

Main Methods:

• 1252 US Army Soldiers completed surveys on combat experiences post-deployment during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
• A follow-up survey 3 months later assessed risk-taking propensity using the Evaluation of Risks Scale (EVAR) and recent risky behaviors.
• Principal components analysis reduced 37 combat experiences to seven factors to predict risk-propensity.

Main Results:

• Specific combat experiences, including violent combat, killing, and exposure to human trauma, predicted increased risk-taking propensity.
• These combat exposures also predicted increased alcohol use and aggression in the month prior to the survey.
• Effect sizes were small, but statistically significant associations were found.

Conclusions:

• Exposure to violent combat, human trauma, and taking lives may alter perceived invincibility, increasing risk-taking post-deployment.
• Findings underscore the importance of education and counseling for service members to mitigate public health risks.
• Targeted interventions can help manage elevated risk-propensity associated with combat exposure.