Determinants of Vitality During a Training Cycle in a Cohort of Special-Forces Operators

Abstract

Personnel in special-operations forces (SOF) have an extremely demanding occupation, but there is little information about the factors affecting their well-being. The aim of present study was to investigate potential psychological moderators and mediators of well-being in recruits and operators of the Norwegian Navy SOF. Perceived vitality and its potential moderators and mediators were assessed in 74 male operators of the Navy SOF (ages 19–36 years) before, and 35 male operators after, a 6-month training cycle. The data were analyzed in 2 groups based on years of experience in the SOF unit (recruits < 2 years in SOF; experienced operators > 2 years in SOF). Effects were assessed as clear when their standardized magnitudes had adequate precision. At baseline, there was little difference in vitality between the groups, but the recruits worked and slept more. There was a small increase in vitality in the recruits and a small decrease in the experienced group. Further, the recruits with lower baseline vitality had greater increases. Individual changes in vitality showed a moderate positive relationship with changes in sleep quality and a small negative relationship with changes in work–home issues, but mean changes in these and other potential mediators accounted for only trivial mean changes in vitality in both groups. The recruits adapted well to the program, but the experienced operators showed a minor reduction in vitality over the 6 months. Helping some operators to improve their sleep and resolve their work and home issues are avenues for improving their well-being.