Diagnostic Methods for Predicting Performance Impairment Associated With Combat Stress

Abstract

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Selecting Workload and Stress Measures for Performance Prediction

“…Unlike the other performance measures, Heart Rate variability (HRV) was a significant predictor of False Alarm frequency. This is in contrast to previous findings that Task Engagement predicted False Alarms in vigilance tasks (Matthews et al, 2007). This contrast may be regarded as a form of discriminant validity indicating that the Change Detection task in the present study is not a vigilance task per se.…”

“…and higher self-report ratings of Task Engagement predicted faster Average response times to correct detections. That Task Engagement was a significant predictor (and not Distress or Worry) suggested that energy, motivation, and alertness impact response times more than components of Distress and Worry, i.e., confidence level and negative affect, or intrusive self-referencing thoughts (Matthews et al, 2007).…”

Task Engagement, Attention, and Executive Control

“…Thus, the effect is directly tied to the mental workload of performing the task, and cannot be attributed to loss of arousal or boredom. Matthews et al (2007; see also Reinerman et al, 2006Reinerman et al, , 2007 conducted two studies that investigated the inter-relationships of TCD, vigilance and subjective measures. The aim was to test whether measurements of TCD might be used to predict subsequent individual differences in vigilance.…”

“…However, its neurological bases largely remain to be explored, although, as mentioned, it may plausibly be linked to a dopaminergic reward or approach system. In recent work, we have explored a novel psychophysiological technique for evaluating competence for performing vigilance tasks (Matthews, Warm, & Washburn, 2007;Reinerman et al, 2006). The velocity of bloodflow in the medial cerebral arteries may be measured using transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD: Aaslid, 1986).…”

Cognitive Readiness at the Tactical Level: A Review of Measures

“…Moreover, low affect or motivation is a portent of more significant stress responses, in that it indicates a change in appraisals of stressors. Finally, this predictive power is enhanced when combined with physiological measures (Matthews, Warm, & Washburn, 2007).…”