Perceptions of women in U.S. Army combat units: A mixed-methods study post-gender integration

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of exposure to serving with women on male opinions about gender integration in the formerly all-male Infantry and Armor branches of the U.S. Army. This mixed-methods study used primary survey data collected in 2021 from soldiers serving in the 33 active-duty Army brigade combat teams. A total of 8,798 respondents answered the anonymous electronic questionnaire. Data were examined using descriptive statistics, regression, and content analysis of qualitative comments. Results indicated that the presence of women within an infantry or armor platoon or squad, or exposure to a female leader, predicted that a male respondent was significantly more likely to support gender integration in combat arms and less likely to worry about effects on unit cohesion and performance. Qualitative analysis of 1,121 comments from infantry and armor men revealed five main themes about gender integration in combat arms and offer insight into quantitative findings.

Read the full article
Report a problem with this article

Related articles

  • More for Researchers

    Examining the factor structure of the nine-item avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder screen in a national US military Veteran sample

    Abstract: Disordered eating is a prevalent and relevant health concern that remains understudied among U.S. military veterans. Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a newly recognized feeding and eating disorder characterized by overly restrictive eating due to (a) picky eating, (b) lack of appetite, and (c) fear of aversive consequences related to eating. The Nine-Item ARFID Screen (NIAS) is a recently developed ARFID screening tool with initial validation studies demonstrating psychometric support. However, the psychometric properties of the NIAS have not been investigated in a veteran sample. To advance our understanding of ARFID screening tools that may be appropriate for use in veterans, the present study examined the factor structure of the NIAS using survey data from a large national sample of recently separated veterans (N = 1,486). Measurement invariance across key subgroups was tested in addition to exploring differential associations between the NIAS and related constructs. Results suggested that a three-factor model provided an excellent fit of the data and demonstrated scalar invariance across self-identified men and women, race and ethnicity, and sexual and gender minority (SGM) identity. Some subgroups had higher latent means on the picky eating (women, SGM, non-Hispanic Black), appetite (women, SGM), and fear (women) factors. The NIAS had some overlap with another measure of disordered eating and was moderately correlated with psychosocial impairment and mental health. Overall, the NIAS may be a useful screening tool for ARFID in veterans, given support for the three proposed subscales and equivalence across diverse identities.