Stress, Confidence, Performance, and Credibility Produced by Toxic Agent Training at the Chemical Decontamination Training Facility.

Abstract

This evaluation measured the stress associated with a training exercise involving chemical warfare agents and tested whether the exercise changed the confidence, credibility or performance of those taking it. The on-site evaluation included over 100 subjects for all tests and over 1000 for some. An additional part of the study addressing credibility was conducted away from the training site during the same approximate time and involved 240 non-Chemical Corps subjects. Biomedical, questionnaire, and behavioral measures of stress were not in strong agreement, but on the whole supported the conclusion that the training exercise was mildly stressful. Questionnaire measures of confidence related to working on a chemically contaminated battlefield were clearly higher for subjects trained with toxic agent than for subjects without training. Combat Arms Officers and NCOs were strongly in favor of such training for their own units as well as the Chemical Corps, Suggesting that the exercise will enhance the credibility of graduates.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA208339

Entities

People

  • C. F. Tyner
  • Frederick J. Manning
  • Marvin A. Oleshansky

Organizations

  • Walter Reed Army Institute of Research

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • C Agents
  • Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena
  • Chemical Warfare
  • Chemical Warfare Agents
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Data Analysis
  • Decontamination
  • Detection
  • Health Services
  • Heart Rate
  • Medical Personnel
  • Parachute Jumping
  • Plastic Explosives
  • Pressure Measurement
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Students
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Critical Infrastructure Protection in CBRN and WMD Threats.
  • Military Training and Readiness Simulation
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.

Technology Areas

  • Biotechnology