J Arch Mil Med. 2020 March; 8(1):e108725.
Published online 2020 September 27.
doi: 10.5812/jamm.108725.
Research Article
Spiritual and Psychological Well-Being of Soldiers in Military
Barracks: A Case Study in Iran
Mohammad Hosein Fadaei
1
, Mahya Torkaman
1
and Jamileh Farokhzadian
2, *
1
Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
2
Nursing Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
*
Corresponding author: Nursing Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Email: farokhzadian2010@yahoo.com
Received 2020 August 22; Accepted 2020 September 24.
Abstract
Background: Spiritual well-being is the newest dimension of health, which is placed along with the physical, mental, and social
aspects of health. Since soldiers in military barracks are exposed to multiple psychological pressures, their psychological well-being
can be affected.
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the spiritual well-being and psychological well-being and the relationship between these
two concepts among soldiers in military service.
Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was conducted at a military barracks in Iran in 2019. The study population included 301 sol-
diers selected using a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using three questionnaires for data on sociodemographic,
psychological well-being, and spiritual well-being.
Results: The results showed that soldiers’ spiritual well-being (Mean ± SD: 100.6 ± 12, 30, range: 50 – 120) and Psychological well-
being (PWB) (Mean ± SD: 85.85 ± 7.91, range: 48 – 104) were at high levels. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed
between spiritual well-being and psychological well-being (P value< 0.001, r = 0.41).
Conclusion: Considering the correlation between spiritual well-being and psychological well-being among soldiers in military ser-
vice, it is possible to improve their psychological well-being by promoting spiritual well-being. In this regard, more interventional
and combination studies are recommended in the field of psychological well-being and spiritual well-being.
Keywords: Soldiers, Psychological Well-being, Spiritual Well-being, Military Barracks
1. Background
Military service, which plays a vital role in the physi-
cal, mental, psychological, and spiritual health of young
people, can create a dynamic workforce in society (1). How-
ever, a lack of appropriate planning in filling the soldiers’
leisure time , the unfavorable status of welfare facilities, in-
appropriate behavior of military personnel, a dispropor-
tionate number of soldiers with needs of different parts,
lack of considering the soldiers’ expertise and ability in de-
termining their place of service, punishments against dis-
ciplinary regulations, and non-specialized use of soldiers
can pose psychological and mental challenges to young
people and endanger their psychological well-being (2, 3).
Psychological Well-being (PWB) is an internal emotional
state that arises as a psychological response to the environ-
ment (4). People with high PWB mostly experience positive
emotions and have a positive evaluation of events around
them. However, people with low PWB evaluate their life
events and situations as undesirable and mostly experi-
ence negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and
anger (5). Studies show that a favorable level of PWB in sol-
diers not only improves their physical, psychological, and
mental health but also increases their commitment, pro-
ductivity, and efficiency (6, 7).
Another important component that can play a signifi-
cant role in soldiers’ health is spiritual well-being (8). Spir-
itual Well-being (SWB) is a recently recognized dimension
of health, which is now integrated with physical, mental,
and social health aspects. Spirituality gives meaning to
people’s lives; it is an important source of coping and helps
people to manage situations (9). The promotion of SWB is
characterized by the improvement of stability in life and a
close relationship with God, oneself, society, and the envi-
ronment. It also can be one of the appropriate strategies to
adapt to the environment. Therefore, the development of
SWB among young soldiers can ameliorate their compati-
bility and performance by removing their fear, anxiety, and
stress about the future (10).
Copyright © 2020, Journal of Archives in Military Medicine. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial
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