0171 Assessment of Student Sleep and Well-Being During a Stress Inoculation Training at The U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Officers School

Abstract Introduction Military operations frequently take place in complex, volatile, and ambiguous environments, where important information may be uncertain. These circumstances are often highly stressful, fatiguing due to sustained operations, shift work, sleep loss, the taxing nature of work. As a crucial part their preparation for leading U.S. Navy sailors, prospective executive officers (PXOs) Surface Warfare community receive training at Schools Command (SWSC). At request SWSC, NPS research team was asked assess stress loads SWO students during expanded 10-week course, which included implementation inoculation (SIT) program. Methods SWOs (N=50) attending Prospective Executive Officer (PXO) Course SWSC participated quasi-experimental longitudinal study. They completed questionnaires three times PXO course: beginning study, mid-point, end course. Standardized tools were used perceived levels (Perceived Stress Scale – PSS), depression symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire PHQ-8), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder questionnaire GAD-7), mood (Profile Mood States POMS). Sleep attributes assessed by wearable devices (ŌURA rings). Results Overall, scores on PSS, PHQ-8, GAD-7, POMS lower or equivalent reported general population. However, increased significantly from course (average PSS=9 vs 12). remained stable across time points. On average, PXOs received 6.6 ± 0.65 hours per night weeknights with about one additional hour weekends. Conclusion findings indicate that, while experienced an increase overall well-being is not substantively different Participants appear use weekends restorative sleep, obtaining adequate amounts We did observe evidence impairments mental physical wellness SWSC. Support (if any)