Improving Resilience and Readiness in Adult Soldiers of the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade with Psychological Flexibility Training

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to enhance resiliency and optimize readiness in military personnel, specifically targeting soldiers in the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigades SFABs. These specialized Army units operate under high stress and demanding conditions, requiring strong individual resiliency. The study compares a new Acceptance and Commitment Training ACT-based program with usual resilience training to see how well each supports psychological flexibility and readiness during training and deployment. The trial is sponsored by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio and involves 600 soldiers stationed at Fort Hood, Texas. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives the standard resilience training called Master Resilience Trainer MRT, focusing on mental toughness and character strengths without booster sessions. The other group attends a 2-day psychological flexibility training workshop based on ACT, which teaches acceptance, mindfulness, and coping strategies to improve adaptability under stress. This group may also join four optional monthly booster sessions to reinforce the training concepts. Throughout the 16-month study period, soldiers will complete assessments measuring resilience using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale CD-RISC at baseline, after training, before deployment, and at regular 4-month intervals. The study tracks psychological flexibility, coping skills, and stress adaptation to evaluate training effects. Researchers will monitor participants ability to maintain readiness and adapt positively to operational stressors during and after deployment.

Enhancing Resiliency and Optimizing Readiness in Military Personnel