Date of Award
5-1-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A. in Psychology
First Advisor
Stefan Schulenberg
Second Advisor
Laura Drislane
Third Advisor
Mervin Matthew
School
University of Mississippi
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
Military readiness is a critical concept within the United States Military, encompassing the psychological, physical, and social preparedness required for service members to meet their responsibilities. The demands on military personnel are often high stress, highlighting the importance of psychological strengths. One such construct is meaning in life, the modern conceptualization of which includes three dimensions: coherence, purpose, and significance. ROTC cadets are an understudied population regarding perceived military readiness, despite their unique pre-commission position. This study examined the relationships among the three dimensions of meaning in life, perceived military readiness, self-efficacy, and resilience in a sample of ROTC cadets at a large southeastern university (N = 102). Consistent with hypotheses, coherence, purpose, and significance were each positively associated with perceived readiness. However, in a multiple regression model, only purpose and significance emerged as significant unique predictors, whereas coherence was not significant, contrary to expectations. Supporting additional hypotheses, overall meaning in life was positively associated with both self-efficacy and resilience. In turn, self-efficacy and resilience were significant positive predictors of perceived readiness. Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of meaning in life on readiness through both self-efficacy and resilience, with the direct effect becoming non-significant, indicating full mediation. These findings highlight the importance of purpose-driven psychological resources in shaping perceived military readiness among ROTC cadets. The results suggest that interventions aimed at enhancing meaning in life, self-efficacy, and resilience may be beneficial for strengthening early-stage military preparedness.
Recommended Citation
Curie, Riley Margaret, "From Meaning to Mission: How Coherence, Purpose, and Significance Relate to Military Readiness in ROTC Cadets" (2026). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 8808.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/8808