Enhancing Performance Under Stress: Stress Inoculation Training for Battlefield Airmen
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| Mental Toughness Another related area of research, primarily from the field of sports psychology, examines the influence of mental toughness on performance. Similar to research on resilience, a wide range of factors have been found to makeup mental toughness in athletes, including an unshakeable self-belief, the ability to rebound after failures (resilience, persistence or refusal to quit, coping effectively with adversity and pressure, and retaining concentration in the face of many potential distractions (Crust, 2007, p. 288). Further research in this area suggests that early experiences, passive toughening, and active toughening can promote adaptation (Dienstbier, 1989). More specifically, early experiences with stress can promote the development of coping resources and arousal regulation, which facilitates adaptation (Lyons et al., 2009). Indeed, individuals who have experienced some life adversity appear to function the best following exposure to a stressful event (Seery, Holman, and Silver, 2010). However, since prior exposure to trauma has also been found to bean important risk factor for stress reactions, it remains unclear which conditions are necessary to bolster resilience. Passive toughening through intermittent exposure to stress (e.g., cold temperatures, especially in research using animals, and active toughening through aerobic exercise have also been shown to enhance adaptability. In general, this toughening paradigm suggests that fit and tough individuals do react to stress, which is necessary to promote active coping, but will experience a much quicker decline in physiological arousal following the removal of the stressor than will less-fit or less-tough individuals (Dienstbier, 1989). In summary, mental toughness maybe viewed as one of several factors that can be developed to enhance performance under stress. Through tough and realistic training, individuals should have opportunities for developing arousal regulation and active coping strategies. However, training that does not provide opportunities for recovery between stressful training elements will not lead to toughening. On the contrary, exposure to chronic stress will result in sustained high levels of physiological arousal, which can interfere with adaptation. Download 339 Kb. Share with your friends:
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