Mindfulness Training in U.S. Army Cohorts

Background: An individual's success in the U.S. Army relies on many factors including the
integrity of executive functions (EFs). EFs comprise a complex, multi-faceted brain system
necessary to pay attention, overcome habitual and automatic behaviors, regulate mood, and
ensure that current behavior is in line with short and long-term goals.Yet, protracted
periods of high uncertainty, high demands, and high stress can lead to decreases in the
efficiency and availability of EFs. Given the high demands and psychological vulnerabilities
that U.S. Army personnel may face, it is critical to provide them with training programs to
protect against degradation of EFs (particularly attention and working memory) over
high-stress, high-demand intervals. Prior research on mindfulness training (MT) in civilians
and military servicemembers showed that MT can effectively protect against degradation in
attention and working memory and benefit psychological well-being over high-demand intervals.

Problem: While being successful, prior MT programs required a considerable amount of time
dedicated to training (e.g., 24-hour training) and it is challenging to integrate these long
programs into the busy schedule of the U.S. Army personnel. To accommodate the time
constraints, the principal investigator together with a mindfulness expert developed a
short-form mindfulness training program contextualized for the U.S. Army; the program
consists of 8-hour training and is known as MBAT, Mindfulness-Based Attention Training.

Project Goal: The present study aims to investigate the best practices for delivery of a
short-form mindfulness training to U.S. Army Cohorts. Specifically, the present study will
examine the best delivery structure for the MBAT by comparing MBAT course delivered in 2
weeks vs. 4 weeks.

Inclusion Criteria:

- English-speaking

- U.S. Army personnel

- Able to understand and provide signed informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

- Non-controlled sever medical disease that might interfere with the performance in the
study

- Any other condition that the investigator might deem problematic for the inclusion of
the volunteer in a training study of this nature