Psychobiological Evaluation of the Army Resilience Training

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Psychological Adaptation; Psychological Stress
• Interventions: Behavioral: Army Resilience Training; Other: Diversity Management Training

• Registration Number: NCT03242837
• Lead Sponsor: Military Academy at ETH Zurich

Brief Summary

This study evaluates the influence of a resilience training on psychobiological factors which are related to stress and resilience in young healthy male cadets. Half of participants will join in the resilience training, while the other half take part in a control-training (diversity management training).

Detailed Description

The resilience training (Army Resilience Training / ART) is a stress prevention program based on well established methods from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Positive Psychology adapted for the needs of Swiss Armed Forces. ART is designed for healthy subjects to learn how to get over strain.

Diversity management training (DMT) aims to promote social skills and acts as control condition. DMT is part of the military training but not mandatory for the study population.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2017-07-26
• Study First Submitted QC: 2017-08-07
• Study First Posted: 2017-08-08
• Study Start: 2017-08-14
• Primary Completion: 2018-07-31
• Study Completion: 2018-08-17
• Status Verified: 2019-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2019-01-10
• Last Update Posted: 2019-01-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 91

Inclusion Criteria

• military cadets of the Swiss Army Infantry Officers School Inf OS 10-1/17

Exclusion Criteria

• no

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Army Resilience Training	Army Resilience Training	Resilience training: four training sessions of 90 minutes each (in week 3, 5, 6 and 7 of military training), in classroom, psychoeducational inputs on stress management and resilience related topics, cognitive behavioral interventions and moderated exercises
Diversity Management Training	Diversity Management Training	Diversity Management: four training sessions of 90 minutes each (in week 3, 5, 6 and 7 of military training), classroom, psychoeducational inputs on social awareness and exercises

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Area under the curve (AUC) with respect to changes of salivary cortisol titer	Weeks 2 and 9 of the military training	During stress exposure; six saliva samples will be taken and analyzed for cortisol reactivity.
Change in heart rate variability (HRV)	Weeks 2 (baseline) and 9 of the military training	Change is the difference from HRV at baseline (week 2) and after resilience training (intervention) in week 9
Change of Testosterone Levels	Weeks 2 and 9 of the military training	During stress exposure; four saliva samples will be taken and analyzed for testosterone levels.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Affect of acute psychological stress	Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training	Perceived stress measured by Positive Negative Affect
Stress Appraisal	Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training	Perceived stress appraisal measured by Primary and Secondary Appraisal
Intensity of acute psychological stress	Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training	Perceived stress intensity measured by Visual Analogue Scale

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Swiss Military Caserne; 🇨🇭 Liestal, Basel-Land, Switzerland