Stress Inoculation through Cognitive and Biofeedback Training

This paper describes a new technology that blends cognitive training to anticipate the effects of stress with advanced biofeedback to mitigate stress effects and aftereffects, using a simulation-based framework. In an increasing number of military personnel, the adverse effects of service and particularly of stressful combat exposure are significant, long lasting and possibly fatal. Most stress research is focused on treatment, but because stress effects are liable to appear years after exposure, it is imperative that methodologies be developed to mitigate the adverse effects of military-related stress and prevent its post-exposure effects. It has long been accepted that warfighters adapt to combat stress after the first few experiences and that training can help duplicate this process, with recent studies showing that experienced military personnel are able to control and even utilize stress productively. A key part of what experienced personnel learn is self-awareness of their stress state and self-regulation of stress effects. These skills can be greatly enhanced by combining cognitive learning methodologies grounded in learning theory and biofeedback techniques based on Heart Rate Variability (HRV) with innovative simulation game-based training tools. The training system described here will be implemented on a mobile device such as an iPod/Touch, providing adaptive, tailored training that can be widely distributed to the Warfighter for initial stress resilience training, onthe-spot refreshment and practice.