Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready)
Abstract Background The transition to civilian life following separation from military service is associated with increased risk of mental health disorders, suicide, and poor adjustment. No measure currently enables pre-separation screening to assess mental readiness for transition and identify pers...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Psychiatry |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05032-z |
| _version_ | 1827633465147785216 |
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| author | Madeline Romaniuk Gina Fisher Matthew Sunderland Philip J. Batterham |
| author_facet | Madeline Romaniuk Gina Fisher Matthew Sunderland Philip J. Batterham |
| author_sort | Madeline Romaniuk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The transition to civilian life following separation from military service is associated with increased risk of mental health disorders, suicide, and poor adjustment. No measure currently enables pre-separation screening to assess mental readiness for transition and identify personnel most at risk of poor outcomes. The Mental Readiness for Military Transition Scale (MT-Ready) was developed to identify psychosocial factors predictive of post-separation psychological adjustment and mental health. Methods Phase I was a qualitative study including transitioned veterans (n = 60), partners of transitioned veterans (n = 20) and mental health clinicians (n = 20) which enabled development of candidate items that were subsequently piloted with a current serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) sample (n = 19). Phase II included evaluation of the factor structure, psychometric properties, and scale refinement of the initial pool of 50 items with a convenience sample of transitioning ADF personnel (n = 345). Analyses included exploratory factor analysis, evaluation of test-retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent, divergent, discriminant and predictive validity. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis was also conducted to determine an optimal cut-off score. Results Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 15-item, three-factor solution that explained 62.2% of the variance: Future focus and optimism; Anger and perceived failure; Civilian connections and social support. Reliability and convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity was established. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis determined a cut-off score of 55. MT-Ready scores significantly differentiated those reporting adjusting versus not adjusting to civilian life 3.7 months post-separation, and predicted post-separation outcomes including symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety, psychological adjustment and quality of life. Conclusions This evaluation provides promising evidence the MT-Ready is a valid, reliable measure of mental readiness for transition, with predictive capability and considerable potential to assist prevention of poor post-separation outcomes among military personnel. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:59:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49c59aa1f29a454e8db3faa1a05419a4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-244X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T14:59:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-49c59aa1f29a454e8db3faa1a05419a42023-11-26T13:57:12ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2023-08-0123111610.1186/s12888-023-05032-zDevelopment and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready)Madeline Romaniuk0Gina Fisher1Matthew Sunderland2Philip J. Batterham3Greenslopes Private Hospital, Gallipoli Medical Research FoundationGreenslopes Private Hospital, Gallipoli Medical Research FoundationThe Matilda Centre for Research in Mental health and Substance use, The University of SydneyCentre for Mental Health Research, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National UniversityAbstract Background The transition to civilian life following separation from military service is associated with increased risk of mental health disorders, suicide, and poor adjustment. No measure currently enables pre-separation screening to assess mental readiness for transition and identify personnel most at risk of poor outcomes. The Mental Readiness for Military Transition Scale (MT-Ready) was developed to identify psychosocial factors predictive of post-separation psychological adjustment and mental health. Methods Phase I was a qualitative study including transitioned veterans (n = 60), partners of transitioned veterans (n = 20) and mental health clinicians (n = 20) which enabled development of candidate items that were subsequently piloted with a current serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) sample (n = 19). Phase II included evaluation of the factor structure, psychometric properties, and scale refinement of the initial pool of 50 items with a convenience sample of transitioning ADF personnel (n = 345). Analyses included exploratory factor analysis, evaluation of test-retest reliability, internal consistency, convergent, divergent, discriminant and predictive validity. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis was also conducted to determine an optimal cut-off score. Results Exploratory factor analysis resulted in a 15-item, three-factor solution that explained 62.2% of the variance: Future focus and optimism; Anger and perceived failure; Civilian connections and social support. Reliability and convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity was established. Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve Analysis determined a cut-off score of 55. MT-Ready scores significantly differentiated those reporting adjusting versus not adjusting to civilian life 3.7 months post-separation, and predicted post-separation outcomes including symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, depression, anxiety, psychological adjustment and quality of life. Conclusions This evaluation provides promising evidence the MT-Ready is a valid, reliable measure of mental readiness for transition, with predictive capability and considerable potential to assist prevention of poor post-separation outcomes among military personnel.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05032-zReintegrationAdjustmentTransitionMilitaryDefencePsychometric development |
| spellingShingle | Madeline Romaniuk Gina Fisher Matthew Sunderland Philip J. Batterham Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) BMC Psychiatry Reintegration Adjustment Transition Military Defence Psychometric development |
| title | Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) |
| title_full | Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) |
| title_fullStr | Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) |
| title_short | Development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale (MT-Ready) |
| title_sort | development and psychometric evaluation of the mental readiness for military transition scale mt ready |
| topic | Reintegration Adjustment Transition Military Defence Psychometric development |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05032-z |
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