ABSTRACT
Aberrant threat monitoring has been established as a risk and a maintaining factor in anxiety and stress-related disorders. The goals of the current grant are to establish the efficacy of a promising 2nd generation eye-tracking-based ABM protocol in: a) reducing risk for deployment-related stress symptoms (focus on prevention);b) enhancing performance of infantry soldiers (focus on performance);and c)reducing stress-related symptoms following combat (focus on treatment). These goals will be tackled through three randomized controlled trials. Together the findings will provide an effective evidence-based means to support soldiers' performance and psychological adjustment throughout the deployment cycle. Specific aims and design: Study1: The overarching goal is to test the efficacy of an eye-tracking-based cognitive training procedure in reducing risk for post-combat stress-related psychopathology. To this end, we will conduct a RCT with three arms (N=540 IDF infantry soldiers). Specific aims are: (1) To determine whether GCFT is superior to RT-based ABMT and a RT-based neutral control condition in enhancing vigilance toward threat;(2) To determine whether GCFT is superior to RT-based ABMT and a NC condition in reducing risk for post-combat stress-related disorders;and (3) To test whether change in threat-related attention mediates change in symptoms post combat. Study 2: The overarching goal is to test the efficacy of an eye-tracking-based cognitive training procedure in enhancing military performance of infantry soldiers. To this end, we will conduct a RCT with three arms (N=180 IDF infantry soldiers). Specific aims are: (1)To determine whether GCFT is superior to RT-based ABMT and N-CFC in enhancing vigilance toward threat;(2) To determine whether GCFT is superior to RT-based ABMT and N-CFC in enhancing military performance in infantry soldiers;and (3) To test whether change inthreat-related attention mediates change in military performance.