Stress Inoculation Training (SIT): An Evidence-Based, Military Aligned Psychological Performance and Health Sustainment Prototype

NCT ID: NCT06656780

Last Updated: 2025-06-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-08-31
• Study Completion Date: 2027-06-30

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Stress, Psychological

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

SIT + Damage Control Assessment & Firefighting (DCA-FF)

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

SIT

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 2 day (8 hours each) Stress Inoculation Training . This will be done in 3 steps:

Step 1: focus on education about the human body and brain and shift to hands on skills practice to improve performance in stressful conditions and is designed to improve self-and-situational awareness and the ability to manipulate reactions and responses in the body on purpose to enhance performance

Step 2: focuses on improving mental self-awareness and gaining skills in Mental Agility and Mental Flexibility

Step 3: participants will have specific simulations and real-world opportunities to practice the skills learnt.

DCA-FF

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8-week Standard Firefighting Training

DCA-FF

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DCA-FF

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will undergo 8-week Standard Firefighting Training

Interventions

SIT

Participants will undergo 2 day (8 hours each) Stress Inoculation Training . This will be done in 3 steps:

Step 1: focus on education about the human body and brain and shift to hands on skills practice to improve performance in stressful conditions and is designed to improve self-and-situational awareness and the ability to manipulate reactions and responses in the body on purpose to enhance performance

Step 2: focuses on improving mental self-awareness and gaining skills in Mental Agility and Mental Flexibility

Step 3: participants will have specific simulations and real-world opportunities to practice the skills learnt.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

DCA-FF

Participants will undergo 8-week Standard Firefighting Training

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• US Navy service members on Active Duty or Reserve status
• be fluent in English.
• be capable of giving signed informed consent which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the informed consent form and in this protocol.
• have access to a SmartPhone, computer, or tablet to utilize and access the virtual classroom.
• agree to undergo psychometric and operational performance testing and participate in ongoing assessments throughout the study duration.
• be willing to comply with all study procedures, able to complete all assessments independently, and available for the duration of the study (with reasonable accommodations for military operational demands as they arise).

Exclusion Criteria

• 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.
• Active severe substance abuse as assessed by the investigator in accordance with The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses (DSM-5) Substance Abuse Disorder criteria, or presence of illicit substance abuse.
• They are currently undergoing another form of treatment other than supportive therapy (>2 times per month).
• Any other condition/situation that the Investigator believes may interfere with participant safety, study conduct, or interpretation of study data.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Department of Defense / Congressionally Mandated Research Program (CDMRP)

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role: collaborator

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Sarah Jackson

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Sarah Jackson, MFT, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston

Locations

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Houston, Texas, United States

Countries

United States

Central Contacts

Sarah Jackson, MFT, PhD

Role: CONTACT

Sarah.E.Jackson@uth.tmc.edu

(713) 486-2700

Ronald Acierno

Role: CONTACT

Ronald.Acierno@uth.tmc.edu

(713) 486-2863

Facility Contacts

Sarah Jackson, MFT, PhD i

Role: primary

Sarah.E.Jackson@uth.tmc.edu

713-486-2700

Ronald Acierno

Role: backup

Ronald.Acierno@uth.tmc.edu

(713) 486-2863

Other Identifiers

HSC-MS-24-0756

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id