HEALTH SAFETY OF SOLDIERS PARTICIPATING IN MISSIONS ABROAD. ROLE OF STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN INCIDENCE OF POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POST-TRAUMATIC CHANGES

There are professions that entail above-average levels of both health and psychological costs. It is indisputable that the profession of soldier can be classified in this category. The ability to handle stress when faced with danger is crucial, not only for the well-being of the participants, but also on account of its significant impact on collective security. The aim of the undertaken research was to explore the role of personal resources, such as stress coping strategies, in both negative and positive outcomes of traumatic events among soldiers. The indicators of negative outcomes were post-traumatic stress symptoms, while the coping strategy served as an indicator of positive post-traumatic growth. In order to assess the severity of post-traumatic stress symptoms, the Impact of Events Scale was used. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory was employed for the examination of post-traumatic growth, and stress coping strategies were examined using the Mini-COPE Inventory. The research results indicated that the investigated soldiers deployed on foreign missions who were exposed to traumatic events as part of their duties experience both negative and positive consequences of these events. Both problem-focused strategies and strategies aimed at reducing emotional tension dominate among the strategies employed by the soldiers surveyed. The highest values were obtained in the following categories: active coping, planning, positive revaluation and acceptance. Among the strategies least frequently employed by soldiers are the use of psychoactive substances and the discontinuation of activities.