The Effect of Deployment and Reintegration Experiences on the Mental Health of Post-Deployed Soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces

Returning from United Nations’ peacekeeping operations has been associated with mental health symptoms for soldiers and difficulties with reintegration at work and with their families. This study aimed at assessing the effect of deployment and reintegration experiences on the mental health of post-deployed soldiers of the Ghana Armed Forces. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated a significant main effect of Combat Experience on mental health symptoms. A follow-up univariate F tests for each variable in the multivariate analysis yielded a significant effect of combat experience on each mental health symptom assessed: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Alcoholism, Somatization, Obsessive compulsivity, Interpersonal sensitivity, Depression, Anxiety, Hostility, Phobic Anxiety, Paranoid Ideation and Psychoticism. Further analysis indicated a significant effect of combat experience on negative work experiences, negative personal experiences and negative family experiences. Resilience did not moderate the relationships between combat experience and mental health symptoms, combat experience and reintegration experiences.

The findings of the study suggest that policies on psychological screening, prevention and treatment strategies must be drawn and implemented by the military. This would guide identification and intervention strategies toward the prevention and control of mental health problems and reintegration challenges associated with deployment.