I recently watched a very powerful video by famed author and filmmaker Sebastian Junger, entitled “Why veterans miss war”. As part of the TED Talk series, he discusses his experiences in Afghanistan and what he learned about the soldiers he spent time alongside.
37%
The percentage of U.S. military members who "sleep the recommended seven to eight hours per night," according to a new RAND Corporation report -- Sleep Problems and Their Impact on U.S. Servicemembers. Moreover, 31% of the servicemembers in RAND's survey reported getting fewer than 5 hours of sleep a night -- "an amount linked to an increased risk of mental and physical health problems," according to the researchers. Additionally, "nearly half the sample had clinically significant poor sleep quality. (By way of comparison, the study noted that just 8% of the adult civilian population reported getting 5 or fewer hours of sleep per night.)
Welcome to this week’s edition of CDP News! We like to use this space to review recent happenings in and around the Center for Deployment Psychology, while also looking ahead to upcoming events. After a break last week, due to our All-Staff meeting, we were back on the road delivering training all over the country.
The CDP's weekly research update contains the latest news, journal articles and useful links from around the web. Some of this week's topics include:
● Combat Exposure and Risk for Suicidal Thoughts and Behaviors Among Military Personnel and Veterans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
● A Relevant Risk Approach to Mental Health Inquiries in Question 21 of the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86)
21
The number of the question on the Questionnaire for National Security Positions (SF-86) that asks applicants for a security clearance if they have consulted with a mental health professional within the previous seven years.
years.