Effects of avoidance in German military police resilience training.

Abstract

Resilience is a vital psychological resource for military police personnel, who routinely operate in high-stress, high-risk environments that demand rapid decision-making, emotional regulation, and sustained mental stamina. While resilience training is increasingly integrated into military structures to foster adaptive coping and psychological endurance, the role of the psychological phenomenon avoidance - a commonly used but often maladaptive coping strategy - remains insufficiently examined in this context. This qualitative study explores how avoidance is experienced and managed among German military police personnel and how it may impede the development of resilience. Guided by two central research questions-(1) How does avoidance manifest itself? and (2) How do military police personnel deal with avoidance? - nineteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with active-duty military police members. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings reveal that avoidance is commonly perceived as the evasion of distressing experiences and is employed across a range of scenarios, both in routine duties and high-pressure situations. Avoidance emerges on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral levels, indicating a complex, multi-dimensional pattern. While some interviewees displayed growing awareness of their avoidance tendencies and a willingness to confront them, others remained ambivalent or unaware of their impact. Importantly, participants voiced a clear need for structured support, specifically through resilience-building training tailored to address and reduce avoidance behaviors. These findings suggest that the inclusion of targeted strategies for recognizing and mitigating avoidance should be a priority in future resilience training programs. The study offers implications for designing psychological support within military contexts and highlights key areas for further research.