This Project investigates positive mental health (flourishing and wellbeing) in the Australian Defence Force.  The project consists of two studies:

1. The ADF Mental Health Policy Study examines the formulation of mental health policy and how this influences positive mental health outcomes for serving members of the ADF.  The study investigates the patterns of thinking about mental health and wellbeing from a number of theoretical perspectives about what makes people mentally well. 

2. A Qualitative Study of Flourishing in the Australian Army: a multi-perspective study of members’ experiences of flourishing to understand which elements of the psychological constructs of psychological well-being are evident, absent or traded-off in response to the demands of service life in the sample of Australian Army participants. 

The research aims to better understand the institutions and practices which affect well-being outcomes.  It will identify approaches to policy that maximise positive mental health outcomes for individual members and the workforce in the context of the unique, and potentially countervailing impact of ‘workplace’ conditions.  The findings will provide the basis for an ongoing research program conducted in collaboration with the ADF, which examines the epidemiology of flourishing (and languishing) in the ADF, operationalising wellbeing for policy, and using wellbeing measures in the policy development, appraisal and evaluation cycle.