A STRENGTHENING EXPERIENCE - MENTAL DISTRESS DURING MILITARY SERVICE - A STUDY OF NORWEGIAN ARMY CONSCRIPTS

Conscription compels 70% of male Norwegians to invest 1 year of their lives in military training. For 19-to 20-year-old men, the military se rvice is an important arena of secondary socialization. In a cross-sec tional study of mental health in army conscripts using the 12-item Gen eral Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the case prevalence was 48 % (cut-off 2/3). This was remarkably high, given that the study population had b een screened for mental disease on several occasions, and a large numb er of recruits with symptoms of mental disease had been excluded befor e the survey began. Statistical analyses indicated that the high case prevalence was mainly due to situational factors. Four dimensions were identified: (1) social relations with officers, peers and family, (2) structural factors inherent in the system of obligatory military serv ice, (3) the meaningfulness of daily tasks and (4) financial problems. GHQ caseness was statistically associated with physical inactivity an d consumption of junk-food, tobacco, alcohol and cannabis. It is concl uded that military service in its present form may have undesirable co nsequences both for civilian society and for military efficiency. Recr uits need help to cope with the complex psychosocial and transactional challenges of military service.