Effects of self efficacy, positive outcome beliefs and hardiness on psychological health : a study on Norwegian military cadets

Abstract

According to a recent report from The Norwegian Health Institute poor psychological health is a common problem in the population. The report found that half of the Norwegian population will experience a psychological disorder during their lifetime and about one third during a year (Mykletun, Knutsen, & Mathiesen, 2009). This report found that anxiety and depression disorders are the two larger groups of psychological disorders. About a fourth of the population will experience an anxiety disorder during their lifetime, and about 15% within one year. One in five will experience depression during their lifetime and 10% within 12 months. From the research reviewed, the authors found that psychological disorders were highly hereditary, the prevalence being higher among women than men and the same trend throughout all western countries together with an explosive increase in the use of antidepressants over the last 10 years. However, it is questionable whether antidepressants are the appropriate treatment to the extent applied today. According to a study published in January it is warned against the use of drug-treatment of mild and moderate psychological problems and prevention (Fournier et al., 2010). Therefore, Norwegian politicians want to strengthen the work on prevention of poor psychological health (Samhandlingsreformen, 2009) and encourage research on prevention of poor psychological health. This is also the objective of the present study, aimed at a selected and specific group of future military leaders; cadets at Norwegian war academies.