Do Demographic Variables affect the Stress Levels of Indian Soldiers?

Abstract

The present study examines the demographic profile of the Indian soldiers and analyzes the differences in opinions of soldiers according to six demographic variables, namely, designation, income, qualification, age, length of service and marital status. A sample of 415 soldiers of the Indian army selected through stratified random sampling was surveyed using structured schedules. ANOVA and post-hoc tests were applied to analyze the data. The findings of the study suggest significant differences on the basis of designation, age, service tenure and marital status mainly with regard to three occupational stressors, namely, ineffective leadership style, lack of control at work and role ambiguity. Furthermore, income and qualification were the only demographic variables showing significant and insignificant differences, respectively, for all occupational stressors. A comparison of mean scores of demographic characteristics revealed that single soldiers belonging to lower ranks (sepoys and naiks) and younger age group (20–30 years) having service tenure of less than 10 years suffer highest from occupational stress in the army. Additionally, inadequate training and workload were more stress creating factors for higher ranks (such as JCOs) and soldiers with higher length of service, in contrast to other groups. The study also highlights practical recommendations to curtail stress in the Indian army.