{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T05:06:13Z","timestamp":1784696773584,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":69,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1784678400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>The military profession is highly challenging because soldiers are exposed to potentially traumatic stressors which cannot be avoided. Given that these stressors are associated with psychological health risks, the need for resilience has become crucial within the military. Although research has recognized the importance of a multilevel consideration of resilience in military populations, little research has been done on this so far. Hence, we aimed to systematically review individual (micro-level) and organizational (meso- and macro-level) resilience factors among active-duty soldiers. During our search, we identified nine studies for inclusion, of which two used qualitative and seven applied quantitative methods. We identified 82 resilience factors on all levels. Most studies focused on micro-level factors, such as adaptive coping or individual characteristics, whereas meso- (e.g., leadership behavior) and macro-level factors (e.g., structural conditions) remain underrepresented. Moreover, no included study investigated multilevel factors with nested data. We discuss these findings from a systemic perspective, shifting the responsibility for building a resilient environment from the individual to the organization. Thus, we highlight that resilience should be promoted through significant organizational practices that ensure access to resources, enhance a sense of belonging, and reduce stigma. Moreover, we recommend that military organizations first address structural conditions and cultural barriers to resilience. Our findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of how resilience can be developed across micro, meso, and macro levels within military organizations and offer new perspectives for sustainable resilience building in the military.<\/jats:p>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Systematic review registration<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      <jats:ext-link>https:\/\/www.crd.york.ac.uk\/prospero\/<\/jats:ext-link>\n                      , identifier [CRD42021254629].\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1857328","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T04:47:33Z","timestamp":1784695653000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Soldiers\u2019 resilience? A systematic review of micro-, meso-, and macro-level resilience factors in the military"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Gloria Ch.","family":"Straub","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal Ministry of Defence","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Vienna Doctoral School in Cognition, Behavior and Neuroscience (VDS CoBeNe)","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wolfgang H.","family":"Prinz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Federal Ministry of Defence","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]},{"name":"Vienna Doctoral School in Cognition, Behavior and Neuroscience (VDS CoBeNe)","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Brigitte","family":"Lueger-Schuster","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna","place":["Vienna, Austria"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"364","DOI":"10.1093\/milmed\/usx231","article-title":"Army combat medic resilience: the process of forging loyalty.","volume":"183","author":"Abraham","year":"2018","journal-title":"Military Med."},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1037\/14190-010","article-title":"Resilience in a military occupational health context: directions for future research","volume-title":"Building Psychological Resilience in Military Personnel: Theory and Practice","author":"Adler","year":"2013"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"337","DOI":"10.1037\/ser0000794","article-title":"Wellness checks: piloting a universal intervention for soldiers.","volume":"21","author":"Adler","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychol. Serv"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1080\/21635781.2012.721063","article-title":"An occupational mental health model for the military.","volume":"1","author":"Adler","year":"2013","journal-title":"Military Behav. Health"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315648033-11","article-title":"How organisations and leaders can build resilience","volume-title":"Managing for Resilience","author":"Adler","year":"2017"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"22","DOI":"10.5751\/es-06956-190422","article-title":"Bridging the macro and the micro by considering the meso: reflections on the fractal nature of resilience.","volume":"19","author":"Bergstr\u00f6m","year":"2014","journal-title":"Ecol. Soc."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-030-02866-4_101-1","article-title":"Military leadership and resilience","volume-title":"Handbook of Military Sciences","author":"Boga","year":"2023"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1111\/jcpp.12021","article-title":"Annual research review: positive adjustment to adversity \u2013 trajectories of minimal\u2013impact resilience and emergent resilience.","volume":"54","author":"Bonanno","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"330","DOI":"10.1192\/bjp.bp.114.157859","article-title":"Risk of depressive disorder following disasters and military deployment: systematic review with meta-analysis.","volume":"208","author":"Bonde","year":"2016","journal-title":"Br. J. Psychiatry"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1191\/1478088706qp063oa","article-title":"Using thematic analysis in psychology.","volume":"3","author":"Braun","year":"2006","journal-title":"Qual. Res. Psychol."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"318","DOI":"10.1080\/02678373.2016.1246490","article-title":"Determinants of mental health treatment seeking among soldiers who recognize their problem: implications for high-risk occupations.","volume":"30","author":"Britt","year":"","journal-title":"Work Stress"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"378","DOI":"10.1017\/iop.2015.107","article-title":"How much do we really know about employee resilience?","volume":"9","author":"Britt","year":"","journal-title":"Indust. Organ. Psychol."},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1037\/a0026412","article-title":"Leadership as a predictor of stigma and practical barriers toward receiving mental health treatment: a multilevel approach.","volume":"9","author":"Britt","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychol. Serv."},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1080\/09638237.2016.1276536","article-title":"Non-deployment factors affecting psychological wellbeing in military personnel: literature review.","volume":"27","author":"Brooks","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Mental Health"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"822","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.84.4.822","article-title":"The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being.","volume":"84","author":"Brown","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2017.06.018","article-title":"Relationship between cognitive emotion regulation, social support, resilience and acute stress responses in Chinese soldiers: exploring multiple mediation model.","volume":"256","author":"Cai","year":"2017","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1080\/08995600903249149","article-title":"Occupational stressors in military service: a review and framework.","volume":"21","author":"Campbell","year":"2009","journal-title":"Military Psychol."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"239","DOI":"10.1037\/cbs0000137","article-title":"Model of mindfulness and mental health outcomes: need fulfillment and resilience as mediators.","volume":"51","author":"Charbonneau","year":"2019","journal-title":"Can. J. Behav. Sci. Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement"},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2017.11.002","article-title":"Intervention studies to foster resilience \u2013 A systematic review and proposal for a resilience framework in future intervention studies.","volume":"59","author":"Chmitorz","year":"2018","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1559-1816.1983.tb02325.x","article-title":"Positive events and social supports as buffers of life change stress.","volume":"13","author":"Cohen","year":"1983","journal-title":"J. Appl. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"76","DOI":"10.1002\/da.10113","article-title":"Development of a new resilience scale: the connor-davidson resilience scale (CD-RISC).","volume":"18","author":"Connor","year":"2003","journal-title":"Depress. Anxiety"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"838","DOI":"10.1097\/NMD.0b013e31818b504c","article-title":"Validity and reliability of the Brief COPE in carers of people with dementia: the LASER-AD Study.","volume":"196","author":"Cooper","year":"2008","journal-title":"J. Nerv. Mental Dis."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1037\/ccp0000356","article-title":"Supplemental material for strengthening resilience in military officer cadets: a group-randomized controlled trial of coping and emotion regulatory self-reflection training.","volume":"87","author":"Crane","year":"2019","journal-title":"J. Consult. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"B24","unstructured":"CASP Cohort Study Checklist."},{"key":"B25","unstructured":"CASP Qualitative Checklist."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"479","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2010.03.003","article-title":"Resilience and mental health.","volume":"30","author":"Davydov","year":"2010","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"545","DOI":"10.1037\/tra0001114","article-title":"Military personnels\u2019 experience of deployment: an exploration of psychological trauma, protective influences, and resilience.","volume":"14","author":"Doody","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychol. Trauma"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"48","DOI":"10.1007\/s11920-020-01169-w","article-title":"The process of developing a unit-based army resilience program.","volume":"22","author":"Dragonetti","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr. Psychiatry Rep."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"809003","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.809003","article-title":"Cognitive resilience to psychological stress in military personnel.","volume":"13","author":"Flood","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"403","DOI":"10.1002\/per.458","article-title":"The relationship between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and emotional problems: comparison between a clinical and a non-clinical sample.","volume":"16","author":"Garnefski","year":"2002","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pers."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"345","DOI":"10.1080\/21635781.2021.2019630","article-title":"Team resilience: practical implications for military service members.","volume":"10","author":"Gomes","year":"2022","journal-title":"Military Behav. Health"},{"key":"B32","unstructured":"Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies.\n          \n          2020"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1017\/S0140525X1400082X","article-title":"A conceptual framework for the neurobiological study of resilience.","volume":"38","author":"Kalisch","year":"2015","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Sci."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1353793","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1353793","article-title":"Relationships between team characteristics and soldiers\u2019 organizational commitment and well-being: the mediating role of psychological resilience.","volume":"15","author":"Kanapeckait\u0117","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"52","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cpr.2016.12.001","article-title":"Perceived barriers and facilitators of mental health service utilization in adult trauma survivors: a systematic review.","volume":"52","author":"Kantor","year":"2017","journal-title":"Clin. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"379","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychores.2006.02.012","article-title":"The effects of prior combat experience on the expression of somatic and affective symptoms in deploying soldiers.","volume":"60","author":"Killgore","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Psychosomat. Res."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.21061\/jvs.v6i2.191","article-title":"The state of research in veteran studies: a systematic literature review.","volume":"6","author":"Lira","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Veterans Stud."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"543","DOI":"10.1111\/1467-8624.00164","article-title":"The construct of resilience: a critical evaluation and guidelines for future work.","volume":"71","author":"Luthar","year":"2000","journal-title":"Child Dev."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"227","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.56.3.227","article-title":"Ordinary magic: resilience processes in development.","volume":"56","author":"Masten","year":"2001","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"B40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1146\/annurev-clinpsy-081219-120307","article-title":"Resilience in development and psychopathology: multisystem perspectives.","volume":"17","author":"Masten","year":"2021","journal-title":"Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"B41","first-page":"2","article-title":"Promoting psychological resilience in the U.S. Military.","volume":"1","author":"Meredith","year":"2011","journal-title":"Rand Health Q."},{"key":"B42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1116","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jsams.2018.05.005","article-title":"Perspectives on resilience for military readiness and preparedness: report of an international military physiology roundtable.","volume":"21","author":"Nindl","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Sci. Med. Sport"},{"key":"B43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews.","volume":"372","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"B44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1037\/pas0000024","article-title":"Resilience through the lens of interactionism: a systematic review.","volume":"27","author":"Pangallo","year":"2015","journal-title":"Psychol. Assess."},{"key":"B45","first-page":"24","article-title":"Effects of deployment on mental health in modern military forces: a review of longitudinal studies.","volume":"20","author":"Pietrzak","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Military Vet. Health"},{"key":"B46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.1002\/smi.3277","article-title":"A dynamic, multilevel approach to conceptualising and designing resilience research in the context of military stress.","volume":"39","author":"Polusny","year":"2023","journal-title":"Stress Health"},{"key":"B47","first-page":"15","article-title":"Self-esteem and optimism as predictors of resilience among selected Filipino active duty military personnel in military camps.","volume":"4","author":"Reyes","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Positive Psychol. Wellbeing"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.3233\/WOR-162301","article-title":"Personal resilience and coping Part II: identifying resilience and coping among U.S. military service members and veterans with implications for work.","volume":"54","author":"Rice","year":"2016","journal-title":"Work"},{"key":"B49","volume-title":"Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.","author":"Rosenberg","year":"1965"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"101","DOI":"10.1155\/2011\/328054","article-title":"Genetic markers for PTSD risk and resilience among survivors of the World Trade Center attacks.","volume":"30","author":"Sarapas","year":"2011","journal-title":"Dis. Mark."},{"key":"B51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"219","DOI":"10.1037\/0278-6133.4.3.219","article-title":"Optimism, coping, and health: assessment and implications of generalized outcome expectancies.","volume":"4","author":"Scheier","year":"1985","journal-title":"Health Psychol."},{"key":"B52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"6077","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18116077","article-title":"Resilience as a protective factor in basic military training, a longitudinal study of the Swiss Armed Forces.","volume":"18","author":"Sefidan","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.1111\/nuf.12007","article-title":"Military resilience: a concept analysis: military resilience.","volume":"48","author":"Simmons","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nurs. Forum"},{"key":"B54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315648033-2","article-title":"The right stuff: employee characteristics that promote resilience","volume-title":"Managing for Resilience","author":"Sinclair","year":"2017"},{"key":"B55","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"150","DOI":"10.4324\/9781315648033-10","article-title":"Building team and organisational identification to promote leadership, citizenship and resilience","volume-title":"Managing for Resilience","author":"Steffens","year":"2017"},{"key":"B56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"303","DOI":"10.1177\/1088868316656701","article-title":"A meta-analytic review of social identification and health in organizational contexts.","volume":"21","author":"Steffens","year":"2017","journal-title":"Pers. Soc. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"B57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2377","DOI":"10.2147\/PRBM.S459220","article-title":"Preventing and mitigating post-traumatic stress: a scoping review of resilience interventions for military personnel in pre deployment.","volume":"17","author":"Sun","year":"2024","journal-title":"Psychol. Res. Behav. Manage."},{"key":"B58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1111\/j.2044-8309.1986.tb00732.x","article-title":"The significance of the social identity concept for social psychology with reference to individualism, interactionism and social influence.","volume":"25","author":"Turner","year":"1986","journal-title":"Br. J. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"B59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"218","DOI":"10.1093\/bjsw\/bcl343","article-title":"Resilience across cultures.","volume":"38","author":"Ungar","year":"2006","journal-title":"Br. J. Soc. Work"},{"key":"B60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1939-0025.2010.01067.x","article-title":"The social ecology of resilience: addressing contextual and cultural ambiguity of a nascent construct.","volume":"81","author":"Ungar","year":"2011","journal-title":"Am. J. Orthopsychiatry"},{"key":"B61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2199","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579423000469","article-title":"Multisystemic approaches to researching young people\u2019s resilience: discovering culturally and contextually sensitive accounts of thriving under adversity.","volume":"35","author":"Ungar","year":"2023","journal-title":"Dev. Psychopathol."},{"key":"B62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11052","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191711052","article-title":"Time in service and resilience in active military personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study in Northern Peru.","volume":"19","author":"Valladares-Garrido","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"B63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23950","DOI":"10.3402\/ejpt.v5.23950","article-title":"The Australian Defence Force mental health prevalence and wellbeing study: design and methods.","volume":"5","author":"Van Hooff","year":"2014","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychotraumatol."},{"key":"B64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"710","DOI":"10.1002\/jts.21868","article-title":"Deployment Risk and Resilience Inventory-2 (DRRI-2): an Updated tool for assessing psychosocial risk and resilience factors among service members and veterans.","volume":"26","author":"Vogt","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. Traumat. Stress"},{"key":"B65","volume-title":"Literature Review of Concepts. Psychological Resiliency.","author":"Wald","year":"2006"},{"key":"B66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1063","DOI":"10.1037\/0022-3514.54.6.1063","article-title":"Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales.","volume":"54","author":"Watson","year":"1988","journal-title":"J. Pers. Soc. Psychol."},{"key":"B67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"152","DOI":"10.1017\/S0959259810000420","article-title":"What is resilience? A review and concept analysis.","volume":"21","author":"Windle","year":"2011","journal-title":"Rev. Clin. Gerontol."},{"key":"B68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1145","DOI":"10.1177\/13591053241236539","article-title":"Resilience after combat: a prospective, longitudinal study of Marines and Navy Corpsmen.","volume":"30","author":"Yurgil","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Health Psychol."},{"key":"B69","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"566","DOI":"10.1080\/08995605.2022.2139948","article-title":"Effects of resilience training on mental, emotional, and physical stress outcomes in military officer cadets.","volume":"35","author":"Zueger","year":"2023","journal-title":"Military Psychol."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1857328\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]],"date-time":"2026-07-22T04:47:46Z","timestamp":1784695666000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1857328\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]]},"references-count":69,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1857328"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1857328","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,22]]},"article-number":"1857328"}}