Perceptions of Organizational Affect and Holistic Mental Health in United States Army Soldiers During and After Deployment.

Abstract

This study examined how U.S. Army Soldiers' subjective perceptions of organizational affect relate to holistic mental health across the deployment cycle. Using a repeated cross-sectional design, 1554 Soldiers completed surveys before (T1), during (T2), and after (T3) deployment. Perceptions of organizational affect were conceptualised along two theoretically grounded dimensions: ambiance (emotional tone) and vigour (motivational energy), and measured using a novel validated scale. Factor analyses identified four distinct perceptions: suffering (negative ambiance, low vigour), contentment (positive ambiance, low vigour), restlessness (negative ambiance, high vigour), and zeal (positive ambiance, high vigour). General linear models showed that perceptions of organizational affect at T2 and T3 were significantly associated with psychological distress, hedonic happiness, and eudaimonic thriving at those time points, controlling for pre-deployment (T1) holistic mental health. Perceptions of suffering were linked to increased distress, perceptions of contentment to greater happiness, and perceptions of both zeal and restlessness to greater thriving. Perceptions of organizational affect accounted for 5%-15% of the variance in holistic mental health outcomes. These findings underscore the importance of both perceptions of organizational ambiance and vigour in shaping mental health and well-being and suggest opportunities for targeted interventions in high-stakes occupational environments like military deployments.