Mental Health and Wellbeing Research Project

Project Title	Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Department of Defence and Military Veterans (South African Army, South African Airforce, Force, South African Navy, South African Military Health Services and SA Defence Intelligence)
About the Research Programme	This postgraduate research programme focuses on understanding mental health and wellbeing within the SA Air Force, SA Army, SA Navy, SAMHS with particular attention to the organisational and institutional conditions that shape psychological experiences. SA Air Force, SA army, SÁ Navy, SAMHS and Defence Intelligence personnel operate in environments characterised by high responsibility, precision, and sustained operational demands. These conditions place unique pressures on wellbeing, often interacting with leadership practices, work structures, and organisational culture in ways that are not always visible at an individual level. Rather than approaching mental health primarily through individualised notions of resilience or coping, this programme is grounded in a systems-oriented perspective. It recognises wellbeing as an outcome of how people, roles, leadership, resources, and support structures interact over time. The research seeks to generate knowledge that is sensitive to the realities of military and aviation contexts, while remaining ethically sound and academically rigorous.
Purpose of the Programme	The purpose of the programme is to develop an evidence-based understanding of mental health and wellbeing in the SA Army. SA Air Force, SA Navy, SA Defence Intelligence and SAMHS that can inform prevention-focused and trauma-informed approaches to support. The research contributes to scholarly work in occupational psychology, organisational wellbeing, and applied mental health, while also offering insights that are relevant to leadership development, policy discussions, and the design of support services. The programme is structured as a coherent platform for postgraduate study. Individual Master’s and doctoral projects are designed to address specific questions, but together they contribute to a broader body of knowledge on how institutions can create conditions that protect wellbeing, reduce stigma, and support timely and appropriate help-seeking.
Core Research Questions
Overarching Question	How do organisational structures, leadership practices, and institutional cultures shape mental health, wellbeing, and help-seeking among SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy, SA Defence Intelligence and SAMHS personnel?
Programme-Level Research Questions
Mental Health and Wellbeing Profile	What patterns of wellbeing, psychological distress, and work engagement are evident among SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy, SAMHS and SA Defence intelligence personnel? How are these experiences associated with workload, shift patterns, sleep quality, unit cohesion, and leadership climate?
Risk and Protective Factors	Which organisational demands and work-related stressors are most closely linked to burnout or reduced wellbeing? Which personal, relational, and organisational resources appear to protect wellbeing in this context?
Help-Seeking, Stigma, and Trust	How do SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy, SAMHS and SA Defence Intelligence personnel experience and interpret mental health services and support structures within the institution? In what ways do stigma, confidentiality concerns, and perceived career implications shape decisions to seek or avoid support?
Leadership and Psychological Safety	How do leadership practices and supervisory behaviours influence psychological safety, morale, and openness around mental health? How do leaders understand and enact responsibility for the wellbeing of those they lead?
Critical Incidents and Moral Stress	How do personnel experience and make sense of morally challenging or emotionally demanding events encountered in their work? What forms of institutional support are experienced as helpful, and where are gaps perceived following such events?
Institutional Support and Care Pathways	How are mental health and wellbeing services structured, accessed, and experienced within the SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy, SAMHS and SA Defence Intelligence? Where do personnel encounter barriers or points of difficulty when attempting to access support?
Digital and Stepped -Care Approaches	How do personnel perceive the use of digital wellbeing tools or blended models of support? How might digital approaches be integrated ethically and responsibly into stepped-care mental health systems in an SA Army, SA Air Force, SA Navy, SAMHS and SA Defence Intelligence context?
Examples of Student Research Topics	Prospective students may develop projects aligned with the programme, such as: Exploring the role of unit cohesion in moderating the relationship between job demands and burnout. Examining how organisational culture shapes attitudes toward help-seeking for mental health concerns. Investigating leadership practices and their relationship to psychological safety and wellbeing. Analysing experiences of accessibility, confidentiality, and trust in existing mental health support services.
Who Should Apply	This programme is suited to students with an interest in occupational and organisational psychology, mental health in high-demand environments, leadership and wellbeing, and applied psychological research with policy relevance. Both Master’s and PhD applicants are welcome. Projects may use quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods approaches, depending on the research focus.
Contribution of the Programme	By explicitly linking mental health outcomes to institutional design and responsibility, this programme moves beyond deficit-based models that locate distress solely within individuals. It offers a strong platform for postgraduate research that is theoretically informed, ethically grounded, and responsive to real-world organisational challenges, while remaining sensitive to the constraints and responsibilities of a military environment.
Prospective students are encouraged to make contact with Prof FT Silinda (email: silinft@unisa.ac.za) and Prof R Netangaheni (email:netantr@unisa.ac.za) to discuss their interests and the alignment of potential projects with the programme.

Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Department of Defence and Military Veterans