soldier resilience: lessons learned from the assessment ......soldier resilience: lessons learned...
TRANSCRIPT
SoldierResilience:LessonsLearnedfromtheAssessmentandSelectionofHigh-RiskOperational
Personnel
James J. Picano, Ph.D
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston/KBR WyleBehavioral Health and Performance/Space and Occupational Medicine Branch
NASA Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX
Disclaimer
TheviewsexpressedinthispresentationdonotreflecttheofficialpoliciesorpositionsofanyUSgovernmentagencyororganization
WhatisResilience?
• Oneconstruct,manydefinitions(resilienceascapacity,process,outcome)
• thepotentialforanindividualtotoleratehighlevelsofstresswithoutsignificantpsychological,physical,orperformancedecrements,aswellasbouncebackquicklyafteradversityorchallenge
• “theprocessofcopingwithorovercomingexposuretoadversityorstress”(Meredith,Sherbourne,Gaillot,Hansell,Ritschard,Parker,&Wrenn,2011,p.1).
• theindividual’sdemonstrationofpositiveadaptationinresponsetosignificantadversity(Britt,Sinclair,andMcFadden(2013)
• Proposethatthoseendowedwithmoreresourcesaremoreresilientinthefaceofadversity
• morecapableofsolvingproblemsinherentinstressfulcircumstances
• moreabletowithstandthedepletionofresourcesthatoccursin
stressfulconditions(Hofball,2002).
• Resourcesthatbolsterresilienceincludethoseintrinsictotheindividual(e.g.,copingresources,optimism,spirituality),aswellasthoseresourcesinvolvingotherssuchasthefamily,organization,andcommunity(e.g.,socialsupport)
ResourceModelsofResilience
• Physicallyandpsychologicallydemandingmissionsinvolvingcriticalandsensitivenationalsecurityconcernsunderconditionsofextremethreatwithnoorverylimitedlogisticalandtacticalsupport,andcarrydireconsequencesforfailure
• Demandspeoplewithhighstresstoleranceandresilience
• Personnelwhoperformhighriskoperationalmissionstypicallyundergostringentassessmentandselectionprocedures
• Designedtoassessspecialskills,aptitudeandtrainability,andperformanceunderstressusingmethodswithhighfidelitytotheoperationalenvironment
• Physicallyandpsychologicallydepleting
• Providesanidealenvironmenttostudyfactorsthatunderlieindividualresilience
High-RiskOperationalPersonnel
ReceptionStation
Extendedevaluationofphysicalandpsychologicalattributesusingroleplays,scenarios,andsimulationexercisesunderhighstressconditions
SelectionBoard
StandardsEliminationMedicalEliminationSelfElimination
AssessmentCourse
Comprehensivereviewofpsychologicalandperformancedata
Go/NoGo(“select-out”)
HumanResources
Medical/Physical
SecurityReview
PsychologicalTestingandInterview
SelectNon-Select(“select-in”)
AssessmentCenterModelfortheSelectionofHigh-RiskMilitaryPersonnel
AssessmentandSelectionProgramsforHigh-RiskOperationalPersonnel
• A&Sprogramsinvolvemultiplemethodsandprocedures• Interviews• Psychologicaltests• Physicaltests• Militaryskillstests• Scenario-basedroleplaysandsimulationtasks
• Attritionratesarehigh(greaterthan50%)• Almostbydefinition,thosewhocompletetheserigorousA&Scoursescanbesaid
tohavedemonstrated“positiveadaptationtosignificantadversity”(resilience)
PredictorsofsuccessinA&SprogramsforHighRiskOperationalPersonnel
• ConsistentPredictors
• PhysicalAbility
• CognitiveAbility• Aproxymeasureofbrainorcognitivereservecapacity• Abilitytocompensatefortheperformancedepletingeffectsofsuch
conditionsasstress,fatigue,andotherenvironmentalconditions
• Age(inourassessmentcenter)
• InconsistentPredictors
• Personalitytraits(ConscientiousnessandEmotionalStability)• HardinessandGritemergingasbetterpredictors
• Grit- thesustained and passionate pursuitofagiveninterestorgoal(Duckworth,Peterson,Matthews,&Kelly,2007)
• Consistencyofinterests• Perseveranceofeffort
• PredictssuccessfulcompletionofSFAS(Eskeis-Winkler,Shulman,&Duckworth,2014)
• Hardiness- asetofattitudesorbeliefsthatprovidestheexistentialcourageandmotivationneededforenhancedperformanceinstressfulcircumstances(Maddi,2004,2007)
• Commitment(vs.Alienation)-thecapacitytofeeldeeplyinvolvedorengagedinactivitiesoflife• Control(vs.Powerlessness)- confidenceinone’sabilitytocontroleventsandinfluenceoutcomes• Challenge(vs.Threat)- perceivingvarietyandchangeasachancetolearnandgrow
• PredictssuccessfulcompletionofSFAS(Bartone,Roland,Picano,&Williams,2008)
HardinessandGritPredictCompletionofUSSpecialForcesAssessmentandSelection
PredictorsofSuccessinA&SprogramsforHighRiskOperationalPersonnel:PsychologicalSuitability
• PsychologicalSuitabilityistheoverallassessmentof:
• Psychologicalfitnessandemotionalhealthrisks• Trainingpotential• Jobperformancepotential• Riskforpersonalmisconduct• Counterproductiveworkbehaviors
• Ratedfromtheresultsofasuitabilityinterview
• Military(Job)Fitness• Motivation• Trainability• PsychosocialStability• PersonalityCompetence
RatingComponent
Dimensions
Military(Job)Fitness FitnessandStaminaMilitarySkillsOperationalExperience
Motivation Motivation(extrinsicv.intrinsic)
Trainability WrittenandoralcommunicationAcademicachievementNovelthinkingabilityMentalagility
PsychosocialStability
FamilystabilityPersonalandsocialresponsibilityJudgmentandtrustworthiness
PersonalityCompetence
Stresstolerance/resilienceInterpersonal-socialskillsIntegrityImpulsecontrol
InterviewSuitabilityRatingsSummaryofAssessmentCenterFindings
• Suitabilityratingsderivedfrompsychologicalinterviewsdifferentiateselectionoutcomesamongcandidatesforhighdemand/highriskmilitarymissions
• Relatedtootherpredictorslikecognitiveability,personalitytraits,physicalfitness
• Ratingscapturevarianceindependentfrommeasuresofintelligenceandpersonality• Strongerpredictorofselectionthaneithercognitiveabilityorself-reportpersonalitymeasures
• Onefactorunderliesthe5componentsassessed:
“Anestimateofthetotalpotentialitiesofcandidatesformeetingthechallengesoflife…(OSSAssessmentStaff,1948)
GeneticMutationLoad
F
FacialAsymmetry g
GFP
Personality
Psycho-pathology
GeneralHealth
MedicalSymptoms
Morpho-developmental
Stability
Neuro-developmental
Stability
Immuno-competence
Hormonemarkers
Adapted from Sefcek & Figueredo, 2010. FA = Fluctuating Asymmetry, indexed as the deviation from perfect symmetry in bilateral traits that are symmetrical at the population level (e.g., facial asymmetry). g = general cognitive ability, = General Factor of Personality GFP
• Wemaybetappingalatentconstruct,biologicalfitness,orF
• Intelligence,personalitycompetence,andphysicalabilityare“fitnessindicators”
• Maydefinetheupperboundariesofindividualresilience
ABiologicalFitnessModelofIndividualResilience
• Notallsoldierscanbecome“supersoldiers”
• Mayneedtodeliberatelyrecruitandselectforresilience
• Resilienceisalimitedresourceforallmilitarypersonnel(somemorethanothers)
• Resiliencemustbeconserved andsustainedforoptimalfunctioning
• Resiliencemaybeenhancedbyexternalfactorsanddirectedinterventions
SomeConclusionsfromourFindingsfromHigh-RiskOperationalPersonnel