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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03242837

Psychobiological Evaluation of the Army Resilience Training

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).

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Key information

Conditions

Psychological Stress Behavior Behavioral Symptoms Psychological Adaptation Stress, Psychological

Age range

18 year–28 year

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Swiss Military Caserne

Liestal, Basel-Landschaft, 4410, Switzerland

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

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

Exclusion criteria

  • no

Treatment and study plan

Army Resilience Training

Behavioral

The Army Resilience Training consists four training sessions of 90 minutes each. Participants learn to reflect their stress management (including thinking, emotions, behavioral consequences; coping strategies) and build resilience using specific strategies.

Other names: Resilience Training

Diversity Management Training

Other

Diversity Management Training consists four training sessions of 90 minutes each. Participants learn about diversity and social awareness reflecting different situations and settings.

Other names: Diversity Management

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in heart rate variability (HRV)

    Time frame: 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

  2. Area under the curve (AUC) with respect to changes of salivary cortisol titer

    Time frame: Weeks 2 and 9 of the military training

    During stress exposure; six saliva samples will be taken and analyzed for cortisol reactivity.

  3. Change of Testosterone Levels

    Time frame: Weeks 2 and 9 of the military training

    During stress exposure; four saliva samples will be taken and analyzed for testosterone levels.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Intensity of acute psychological stress

    Time frame: Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training

    Perceived stress intensity measured by Visual Analogue Scale

  2. Affect of acute psychological stress

    Time frame: Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training

    Perceived stress measured by Positive Negative Affect

  3. Stress Appraisal

    Time frame: Weeks 2, 9 and 12 of the military training

    Perceived stress appraisal measured by Primary and Secondary Appraisal

Other outcomes

  1. Resilience

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Resilience measured by following questionnaire: Brief Resilience Scale

  2. Psychological Resistance

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Psychological Resistance measured by following questionnaire: Resilience Scale RS-11

  3. Perceived Stress

    Time frame: BWeeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Stress management measured by following questionnaire: Perceived Stress Questionnaire

  4. Stress Reactivity

    Time frame: BWeeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Stress management measured by following questionnaire: Stress Reactivity Scale

  5. Coping Strategies

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Stress management measured by following questionnaire: Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations

  6. Cognitive Emotion Regulation

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Stress management measured by following questionnaire: Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire

  7. Personality

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Personality measured by following questionnaire: NEO-Five Factor Inventory

  8. Dark Triad

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Dark Triad measured by following questionnaire: Dark Triad / Dirty Dozen

  9. Self-Esteem

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Self-Esteem measured by following questionnaire: Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale

  10. Optimism

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Optimism measured by following questionnaire: Life Orientation Test

  11. Social Support

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Social Support measured by following questionnaire: Berlin Social Support Scales

  12. Health

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Health measured by following questionnaire: Maastricht Vital Exhaustion Questionnaire

  13. Sleep

    Time frame: Weeks 1 and 15 of the military training and follow-up (+7 months)

    Sleep measured by following questionnaire: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index

  14. Leadership

    Time frame: Follow-up (+7 months)

    Leadership measured by following questionnaire: Leader Member Exchange

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Military Academy at ETH Zurich

Other Gov

Collaborators

  • Swiss Armed Forces

Registry information

Acronym: OpPHX

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2018
First posted
Aug 8, 2017
Registry last updated
Jan 11, 2019

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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