Funding Status:
Completed - Task completed and produced a deliverable
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Procurement Mechanism(s):
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Aims:
The objective is to
identify the key personality, behavioral, and neurophysiological predictors of
resiliency among a population of high-achieving young adults in a high-stress
environment. 200
adult male and female trainees from highly-demanding medical training programs
and research labs, a population analogous to astronauts will be recruited.
During Wave 1, trainees will be assessed with a comprehensive battery of
characteristics relevant to resiliency. Self-report predictors include “Big 5”
personality, recently-developed subfacets of the Big 5 (i.e., social closeness,
melancholia, self-discipline, etc.), IQ, and behavioral-health scales (i.e.,
mood, anxiety, support, etc.). Neurophysiological predictors will be assessed
using a comprehensive battery designed to measure neural reactivity (i.e.,
electroencephalogram) during experimental tasks relevant to space mission
success (i.e., performance monitoring, vigilance).
Resiliency
will be measured by self-report behavioral health symptoms (i.e., depression,
anxiety, sleep, stress) and behavioral performance on tasks (e.g., accuracy,
post-error adjustments, reaction time) at Wave 1 (to establish a baseline) and then
monthly for 5 months. This prospective, repeated measures design will allow
tracking of fluctuations in resiliency during the course of subjects’
highly-demanding medical training program. After completing data collection, the
Wave 1 personality, behavioral, and neurophysiological profile will be
identified that best predicted successful adaption during intensive training
(i.e., better mental health and better performance). Innovative statistical
methods will be used to develop validity scales to identify "fake
good" personality responses.
This
research proposal aims to elucidate the personality, behavioral, and
neurophysiological factors that predict successful adaption to chronic stress
among high-achieving young adults in highly demanding contexts. The knowledge
gained from this research will aid in the design of a new standardized
selection protocol, which could then be streamlined and validated in an
astronaut sample in space travel analogs.