2014 US RAND RR750 Enhancing performance under stress - stress innocuation training in battlefield airmen
Continue Efforts to Identify Valid Screening Tools to Predict Success in Stressful Conditions Despite the best efforts to train all airmen to specific standards, considerable individual differences exist in performance under stress (Delahaij et al., 2011). Consequently, selection into a career field for initial skills training is part of a broader strategy for optimizing resources and maximizing opportunities for success. Research evidence reviewed by Szalma (2008) suggests that an individual’s traits may affect his performance under stress. However, the specific traits predictive of performance under stress will, at least partially, depend on the tasks being performed. The Navy has implemented a tool to assess tolerance to stress, which is combined into a compensatory model with physical fitness scores for selection into BUDS training. In addition to the EQ-I and TAPAS, the Air Force should consider other well-established personnel selection methods such as structured interviews and biodata instruments for predicting success Hunter and Hunter, 1984; McDaniel et al., 1994; Mount, Witt, and Barrick, 2000; Rothstein et al., 1990; Schmidt and Hunter, 1998; Wright, Lichtenfels, and Pursell, 1989). Interviews conducted by an Air Force psychologist are already being used to select cross-trainees into battlefield airmen careers however, this practice is not used with new enlistees. The goal of such screening instruments should be to eliminate only those candidates who cannot train and develop the necessary skills to perform well under stress. Consequently, efforts should be made to set the cutoff for screening instruments at a point that minimizes the elimination of individuals who have the potential to succeed with the right training. This
32 Enhancing Performance Under Stress Stress Inoculation Training for Battlefield Airmen strategy is particularly important to ensure that a sufficient number of operators successfully complete training.
