Stress Management and Resilience Training for Stress in Air Force Personnel

Recruiting at4 trial locations

Overseen by Stephen Hernandez, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of New Mexico

Disqualifiers: Non-active personnel, BMTs, prisoners, others

No Placebo Group

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial examines the effectiveness of the SMART program in helping U.S. Air Force personnel manage stress and build resilience. The program includes practices like gratitude and mindfulness and can be delivered in-person, via video calls, or through computer-based training. The study aims to find out which delivery method is most effective. The SMART program has been previously tested in various settings, including healthcare workers and employees at a medical center, showing significant improvements in stress, resilience, and mindfulness.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your healthcare provider.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) for stress in Air Force personnel?

Research shows that the SMART program has been effective in building resilience and reducing stress and anxiety in academic physicians and healthcare personnel, suggesting it could be beneficial for Air Force personnel as well. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) safe for humans?

The available research does not provide specific safety data for the Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) program, but it has been used in various settings, such as with physicians and military personnel, without reported safety concerns. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How is the Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) treatment different from other treatments for stress in Air Force personnel?

The SMART treatment is unique because it focuses on building resilience and stress regulation skills, which helps individuals handle stress more effectively. Unlike some treatments that require in-person sessions, SMART can be delivered through self-directed written materials, making it more accessible. ^{1 2 3 8 9}

Research Team

Stephen Hernandez, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of New Mexico

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for active U.S. Air Force personnel at specific bases who are over 18 years old and can give informed consent. It's not open to those on temporary duty, civilians at the base, trainees in basic military training, prisoners, or anyone under 18.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 years old or older.

Active Component Air Force personnel assigned or attached to specific medical wings and groups at various Air Force bases

Able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

Personnel at the specified locations who are not Active Component Air Force personnel (e.g. individuals on temporary duty [TDY] at the location or civilian personnel)

Unable to provide informed consent

Basic Military Trainees (BMTs)

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-intervention

Participants complete a pre-intervention survey to collect demographic information and baseline measurements of resilience, stress, anxiety, and quality of life

1 week

1 visit (virtual)

Treatment

Participants complete the assigned modality of SMART (in-person/VTC or CBT)

6-8 weeks

Multiple sessions (in-person/VTC or online)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in resilience, stress, anxiety, and quality of life at 12, 24, and 36 weeks post-intervention

36 weeks

3 follow-up surveys (virtual)

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Stress Management and Resilience Training (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The trial tests Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) delivered either in-person/video-teleconference or via Computer-Based Training to see if it boosts resilience and reduces stress among participants over time up to 36 weeks post-training.

Participant Groups

Group I: Randomization Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

At two study sites, we will randomly assign participants to the VTC/in-person group or CBT group using a ratio of 2:1 to assign participants to the VTC/in-person or CBT training modalities. We anticipate 84 participants (42 per site) will be assigned to the CBT modality and 168 (84 per site) will be assigned to the VTC/in-person modality.

Group II: Self-selection Active Control 1 Intervention

At two study sites, participants will be able to self-select which SMART training modality they will complete (VTC/in-person or CBT).We aim to recruit 250 participants in the self-selection arm.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of New Mexico

Lead Sponsor

Trials

393

Recruited

3,526,000+

Lisa Kuuttila

University of New Mexico

Chief Executive Officer since 2013

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

David L. Perkins

University of New Mexico

Chief Medical Officer since 2015

MD, PhD

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

500+

Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

500+

Johns Hopkins University

Collaborator

Trials

2,366

Recruited

15,160,000+

Theodore DeWeese

Johns Hopkins University

Chief Executive Officer since 2023

MD from an unspecified institution

Allen Kachalia

Johns Hopkins University

Chief Medical Officer since 2023

MD from an unspecified institution

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Collaborator

Trials

81

Recruited

14,700+

Dr. Albert Bourla

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Chief Executive Officer since 2019

PhD in Molecular Biology, Harvard Medical School

Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Chief Medical Officer

McGill University, MD

Nellis Air Force Base

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

500+

Joint Base Andrews

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

500+

TriService Nursing Research Program (Funder)

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

500+

Findings from Research

The Stress Management and Resilience Training (SMART) program significantly improved resilience and reduced perceived stress among 49 Air Force healthcare personnel, with notable increases in resilience scores and decreases in stress scores observed at 12, 18, and 24 weeks post-training.

Participants showed a 14% to 21% increase in resilience and a 22% to 35% decrease in perceived stress, indicating that SMART can be an effective intervention for enhancing mental well-being in military personnel.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving Resiliency in U.S. Air Force Healthcare Personnel: A Randomized Preventive Trial. Hernandez, SHA., Killian, J., Parshall, MB., et al.[2023]

A systematic training program is essential for military personnel to enhance unit-level resilience in preparation for crises, emphasizing the need for structured support.

Mental health professionals in the military, such as nurses and social workers, are crucial in educating personnel about resilience and supporting effective pre-combat training, leveraging their expertise to improve overall mental health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing Resilience in Active Duty Military Personnel. Crabtree-Nelson, S., DeYoung, LP.[2017]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving Resiliency in U.S. Air Force Healthcare Personnel: A Randomized Preventive Trial. [2023]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The impact of Stress Management and Resailience Training (SMART) on academic physicians during the implementation of a new Health Information System: An exploratory randomized controlled trial. [2022]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bibliotherapy to decrease stress and anxiety and increase resilience and mindfulness: a pilot trial. [2014]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Resiliency training for medical professionals. [2010]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Adaptation and Evaluation of Military Resilience Skills Training for Pediatric Residents. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Critical incident stress intervention following fatal aircraft mishaps. [2004]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Economic evaluation of CISM--a pilot study. [2019]

8. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Building resilience with the Stress Resilience Training System: Design validation and applications. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Enhancing Resilience in Active Duty Military Personnel. [2017]