A multi-level model of psychosocial support for military personnel a trauma-informed approach, capacity building and social advocacy
The article focuses on the multi-level organisation of psychosocial support for military personnel in the context of suicide prevention and the removal of barriers to accessing assistance. The authors aim to provide a conceptual basis for a model that integrates the individual, group, organisational, and institutional levels, while also defining the functions of a trauma-informed approach, capacity building, psychosocial support, and social advocacy. The methodology of the articlecomprised a secondary analysis of the results of two independent exploratory studies without pooling their samples; the empirical data obtained are descriptive in nature and are not considered as validation of the proposed model. The first study involved 15 serving military personnel with combat veteran status who had served in rear units. Using a questionnaire developed by the authors, group distributions were made of self-reported psychological, social, and behavioural indicators before and immediately after the three-day programme ‘Three Days for Yourself’. The second study involved 72 representatives of combat units and five Territorial Recruitment and Social Support Centres; the quantitative survey was supplemented by interviews with 16 unit commanders. The authors identified difficulties reported by participants relating to the availability and practical application of response protocols, staffing levels, staff training, the regularity of preventative measures, and procedural safeguards for seeking assistance. Integrating the empirical findings with scientific and regulatory-methodological sources enabled the authors to develop a conceptual and applied model. This model identifies a number of levels. The personal level comprises self-regulation, agency, life values, and willingness to seek help; the group level comprises safe interaction, belonging, and mutual support; the organisational level comprises information provision, confidential reporting channels, personnel training, response and referral procedures; and the institutional level comprises interagency cooperation, resource provision, protection of rights, and monitoring of service accessibility. The authors have functionally integrated these levels with four cross-cutting components: a trauma-informed approach defines the ethical and organisational framework; capacity building constitutes the resource-based content; psychosocial support ensures continuity of assessment, planning, coordination, and monitoring of support; and social advocacy connects individual and group needs to the removal of organisational and institutional barriers. The model can serve as a preliminary framework for designing psychosocial support pathways within military units and for coordinating the services involved, but it does not replace clinical risk assessment or crisis response protocols. It is concluded that the model requires further operationalisation and empirical testing on larger and socio-demographically diverse samples, using validated instruments, a controlled or quasi-experimental design, and delayed follow-up measurements.
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