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  <front>
    <journal-meta>
      <journal-title-group>
        <journal-title>Military Studies: Journal for Strategy, Technology and Defense Sciences</journal-title>
      </journal-title-group>
      <issn pub-type="ppub">3126-3666</issn>
      <issn pub-type="epub">3126-3674</issn>
      <publisher>
        <publisher-name>SAPCRAA</publisher-name>
        <publisher-loc>Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina</publisher-loc>
      </publisher>
    </journal-meta>
    <article-meta>
      <article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">1536</article-id>
      <article-id pub-id-type="doi">https://doi.org/10.65932/military-studies-2025-2-8</article-id>
      <title-group>
        <article-title>Psychological resilience profile in professional soldiers following multiple deployments to high-intensity conflict zones</article-title>
      </title-group>
      <contrib-group>
        <contrib contrib-type="author">
          <name>
            <surname>Sarkis</surname>
            <given-names>Amin</given-names>
          </name>
          <contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9190-9387</contrib-id>
        </contrib>
      </contrib-group>
      <pub-date pub-type="epub">
        <day>30</day>
        <month>12</month>
        <year>2025</year>
      </pub-date>
      <volume>3</volume>
      <issue>4</issue>
      <fpage>101</fpage>
      <lpage>116</lpage>
      <self-uri xlink:href="https://www.sapcraa.com/article-preview/1536"/>
      <abstract>
        <p>Multiple deployments of professional soldiers to high-intensity conflict zones represent a significant challenge to the mental health of military personnel, while simultaneously offering insight into psychological resilience mechanisms. The aim of this research was to identify key components of the psychological resilience profile in professional soldiers who have survived multiple deployments to active combat zones. The methodological approach was based on a systematic review of literature published in journals indexed in the Scopus database, with a focus on longitudinal studies, meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials conducted on military populations that participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). Research results indicate the multidimensionality of the resilience construct, which encompasses individual factors (adaptability, self-efficacy, cognitive flexibility), social resources (unit cohesion, post-deployment social support), and organizational factors (leadership quality, perceived organizational support). Analysis of available literature shows that the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases proportionally with the number of deployments, with soldiers having two or more deployments showing significantly higher rates of PTSD compared to those with a single deployment. Key protective factors include high levels of adaptability measured by the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale, strong unit cohesion, adequate post-deployment social support, and sufficient recovery time between missions. Neurobiological correlates of resilience include specific patterns of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis functioning, with enhanced negative feedback as a marker of adaptive stress response. In conclusion, psychological resilience in professional soldiers represents a dynamic, multifactorial construct that can be identified, measured, and potentially enhanced through targeted interventions before, during, and after deployment to high-intensity conflict zones.</p>
      </abstract>
      <kwd-group kwd-group-type="author">
        <kwd>psychological resilience</kwd>
        <kwd>multiple deployments</kwd>
        <kwd>professional soldiers</kwd>
        <kwd>posttraumatic stress disorder</kwd>
        <kwd>high-intensity conflict zones</kwd>
        <kwd>protective factors</kwd>
      </kwd-group>
    </article-meta>
  </front>
</article>
