Boosting stress resilience using flexibility as a framework to reduce depression risk

Influence of resilience on perceived stress and depression among Taiwanese army military personnel

Resilience has been reported to attenuate psychological burden and promote mental health. Military personnel constitute a population with a high psychological burden and poor sleep quality and are thus at a high risk of depression. This study is aim to examine the mechanism underlying the effects of resilience on perceived stress, sleep quality, and depression among Taiwanese army military personnel. A cross-sectional survey was conducted between May 2020 and February 2021. Participants comprised 1505 voluntary army military service personnel aged 20 years or older; they completed self-reported questionnaires measuring their perceived stress, resilience, sleep quality, and depression. Data were analysed using structural equation modelling. The results indicated that the association between resilience and depression was partially mediated by perceived stress and sleep quality. Perceived stress is a significant mediator on the association between resilience and depression. A high level of sleep disturbance was observed in this population and results found that sleep quality showed a slight partial mediation effect on the association between resilience and depression. Resilience can alleviate the effects of stress, which in turn alleviates depression among military personnel. Promoting resilience-enhancing education and mitigating environmental barriers to sleep is essential for reducing depressive symptoms among military personnel.

Editorial commentary on the special issue emerging psychoneuroimmunology research: Future leaders in focus

The theme of this BBI-Health special issue is to promote the research, creativity and forward-thinking of future key opinion leaders in the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). We asked contributing researchers to identify new ideas and spaces for innovation to map out the future trajectory of our discipline. This special issue provides global and diverse views from early career investigators focused on science, society, and/or policy, with an emphasis on diversity in all its aspects. The common thread weaving through the articles contained in this special issue is that all authors were invited to consider the future of PNI while they were experiencing the global COVID-19 lockdowns that slowed down or even prevented them from access to their “hands-on” research. The contributors vary from Master level to assistant professors, and all have already significantly contributed to the field of PNI. Each contributor has provided a photograph and short biography alongside their written perspectives. We hope that you will enjoy learning about their visions for the future of PNI and will join us with enthusiasm as we watch our field grow through the advancement of their scientific careers.