Date of Conferral
5-30-2025
Date of Award
May 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Chet Lesniak
Abstract
The U.S. Army is currently facing recruitment challenges due to a decrease in the number of qualified youths. When recruitment is low, reducing attrition becomes even more critical to maintaining force readiness. Research indicates attrition patterns may be influenced by interactions between personal characteristics and the unique culture of each military branch. One characteristic is personal values; however, the most widely used personal values framework, Schwartz’s values theory, has not been validated for the U.S. Army population. This study aimed to address this gap by empirically assessing Schwartz’s values using a nonexperimental cross-sectional quantitative design, collecting data from 273 active-duty U.S. Army soldiers stationed within the contiguous United States. Reliability analysis indicated mixed internal consistency across 19 discrete values, with some such as conformity-rules demonstrating strong reliability, while others, such as achievement and Humility, were weaker. Multidimensional scaling results had an unexpected pattern for security values but were largely aligned with theoretical expectations. The confirmatory factor analysis findings showed 15 of 19 values demonstrated reasonable discriminant validity. These findings suggest the refined Schwartz values theory is generally applicable for U.S. Army soldiers and may inform future research and practices that are aimed at reducing attrition and enhancing force readiness. This study may also have implications for future positive social change such as enhancing value alignment in the military. By understanding reliability, structural fit, and validity, this study provides a foundation for developing tailored interventions that can improve alignment between the organization’s goals and soldier’s personal values.
Recommended Citation
Sihanourath, Kelcey, "Schwartz Values of Active-Duty U.S. Soldiers: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Refined Values" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17892.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17892
