Stress Inoculation Training for Stress

Overseen By Ronald Acierno

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Disqualifiers: Suicidal ideation, Psychotic disorder, Bipolar, Substance abuse, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

120 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It might be best to discuss this with the study team or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment DCA-FF, SIT for stress?

Research shows that Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) is effective in reducing anxiety and stress symptoms, improving performance under stress, and decreasing the need for psychiatric readmissions. It has been successfully used in military settings and with psychiatric inpatients, suggesting its potential effectiveness for stress management. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How is Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) different from other treatments for stress?

Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) is unique because it is a cognitive-behavioral treatment that focuses on preparing individuals to handle stress by exposing them to stressors in a controlled environment, helping them develop coping strategies. Unlike other treatments that may focus on reducing stress symptoms after they occur, SIT aims to build resilience and improve performance under stress by training individuals before they encounter real-life stressors. ^{1 3 4 5 6}

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the feasibility of augmenting existing/traditional Navy military training with the manualized SIT Core Protocol (CP) utilizing the established augmentation procedure set as measured by feasibility, utility, and satisfaction metrics (CSQ-8) and to examine the relative effectiveness of the SIT-CP by comparison to standard military training in a controlled trial examining outcomes of stress tolerance, psychological health, resilience and occupational performance in Sailors undergoing DCA Firefighting Training (pre- to post-training), while collecting implementation data.

Research Team

Sarah Jackson, MFT, PhD

Principal Investigator

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for US Navy service members who are fluent in English, can give informed consent, have access to a smartphone or computer, and agree to undergo testing throughout the study. They must be available for the entire study duration but with flexibility for military demands.

Inclusion Criteria

Fluent in English

Have access to a SmartPhone, computer, or tablet to utilize and access the virtual classroom

US Navy service members on Active Duty or Reserve status

Exclusion Criteria

Any other condition/situation that the Investigator believes may interfere with participant safety, study conduct, or interpretation of study data

Active suicidal ideation as assessed by the Investigator at screening or as identified during the study

Clinically significant history of psychotic disorder, bipolar spectrum disorder, or neurodegenerative disease/dementia as assessed by the Investigator

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Training Augmentation

Participants undergo augmented Navy military training with the SIT Core Protocol

11 weeks

Regular training sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for stress tolerance, psychological health, resilience, and occupational performance

8 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• DCA-FF
• SIT

Trial Overview The trial tests Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) added to traditional Navy training. It measures how well SIT improves stress tolerance, psychological health, resilience, and job performance compared to standard training among Sailors in DCA Firefighting Training.

Participant Groups

Group I: SIT + Damage Control Assessment & Firefighting (DCA-FF) Experimental Treatment 2 Interventions

Group II: DCA-FF Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Lead Sponsor

Trials

974

Recruited

361,000+

Department of Defense / Congressionally Mandated Research Program (CDMRP)

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

120+

Findings from Research

The short collective stress inoculation training (SIT) showed immediate effectiveness in reducing tension, indicating it can be a useful short-term intervention for stress management.

Long-term effectiveness of the training remains unclear, highlighting the need for further research to understand its lasting impact and the influence of individual temperamental factors on training outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness evaluation for short-term group pre-deployment VR computer-assisted stress inoculation training provided to Polish ISAF soldiers. Ilnicki, S., Wiederhold, BK., Maciolek, J., et al.[2019]

A novel 3-phase group formulation of stress inoculation training (SIT) for veterans with PTSD and traumatic brain injury showed significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms, with effect sizes of 0.66 and 0.67, respectively, based on a study of 65 veterans over 18 months.

The SIT program also improved perceived stress tolerance and functioning in various life domains, with 88% of participants continuing to recommended follow-up treatments, indicating its potential to enhance treatment engagement among veterans reluctant to seek traditional therapies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress inoculation training outcomes among veterans with PTSD and TBI. Jackson, S., Baity, MR., Bobb, K., et al.[2020]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress Inoculation Training (SIT-NORCAL), Part 2: A Pilot Study Among Explosive Ordnance Disposal Special Warfare Enablers. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress inoculation therapy with anxiety and stress disorders of acute psychiatric inpatients. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress Inoculation Training (SIT-NORCAL), Part 1: The Development and Preliminary Evaluation of a Psychological Performance Training Protocol. [2022]

4. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness evaluation for short-term group pre-deployment VR computer-assisted stress inoculation training provided to Polish ISAF soldiers. [2019]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of stress inoculation training on anxiety and performance. [2022]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Stress inoculation training outcomes among veterans with PTSD and TBI. [2020]