Evaluation of a Technology Based Adaptive Learning and Prevention Program for Stress Response A Randomized Controlled Trial.
To prevent deployment related disorders, Chaos Driven Situations Management Retrieval System (CHARLY) a computer aided training platform with a biofeedback interface has been developed. It simulates critical situations photorealistic for certain target and occupational groups. CHARLY was evaluated as a 1.5 days predeployment training method comparing it with the routine training. The evaluation was carried out for a matched random sample of N 67 soldiers deployed in Afghanistan (International Security Assistance Force) Data collection took place before and after the prevention program and 4 to 6 weeks after deployment, which included mental state, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, knowledge of and attitude toward PTSD, and deployment specific stressors. CHARLY has been significantly superior to the control group in terms of psychoeducation and attitude change. As to the mental state, both groups showed a significant increase in stress after deployment with significant lower increase in CHARLY. For PTSD specific symptoms, CHARLY achieved a significant superiority. The fact that PTSD specific scales showed significant differences at the end of deployment substantiates the validity of a specifically preventive effect of CHARLY. The study results tentatively indicate that highly standardized, computer based primary prevention of mental disorders in soldiers on deployment might be superior to other more personal and less standardized forms of prevention.
Military medicine