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