Validation of the Military Recruiter Stress Scale (MRSS)

The purposes of this three-phase study were to identify common stressors experienced by military recruiters, to develop and test the Military Recruiter Stress Scale (MRSS), and to assess its reliability and validity. The Neuman Systems Model was the theoretical framework. In Phase I, 14 theoretically derived stressors were identified and assessed for content validity. A preliminary stressor survey was administered to a convenience sample of 20 recruiters representing four branches of the military. Subjects were asked to complete the instrument and suggest additional items pertinent to military recruiting. The qualitative data were categorized as intrapersonal, interpersonal, and extrapersonal; 9 items were added and 2 deleted to form the 22-item instrument pilot tested in a sample of five expert recruiters. Content validity was analyzed and the majority of the items were considered related to recruiting and social roles. In Phase II, seven inexperienced recruiters were surveyed and all of the stressors found to be relevant to their experiences, whereas experienced recruiters did not find them all personally relevant. Both inexperienced and experienced recruiters found all the stressors generally relevant to military recruiting. In Phase III of the study, the MRSS was assessed for reliability and validity in a sample of 73 military recruiters. Internal consistency by Cronbach's alpha was .64 for intrapersonal, .74 for interpersonal, and .77 for extrapersonal stressors. The MRSS correlated with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Jalowiec Coping Scale, and the Medical Outcome Survey Short Form 36 Mental Composite Score. This theoretically based instrument and identification of stressors faced by military recruiters should assist in strengthening their "flexible line of defense" against acute and chronic diseases and result in healthier military recruiters with improved quality of life. The military will thus maintain operational readiness of service members involved in military recruiting.

Final report is available on NTRL at: https://ntrl.ntis.gov/NTRL/dashboard/searchResults/titleDetail/PB2007107634.xhtml