ERIC Number: EJ911309
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jan
Pages: 6
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0003-066X
EISSN: N/A
Comprehensive Soldier Fitness: Building Resilience in a Challenging Institutional Context
Cornum, Rhonda; Matthews, Michael D.; Seligman, Martin E. P.
American Psychologist, v66 n1 p4-9 Jan 2011
The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) program is designed to increase psychological strength and positive performance and to reduce the incidence of maladaptive responses of the entire U.S. Army. Based on the principles of positive psychology, CSF is a historically unique approach to behavioral health in a large (1.1 million members) organization. There are four program elements: (a) the assessment of emotional, social, family, and spiritual fitness; (b) individualized learning modules to improve fitness in these domains; (c) formal resilience training; and (d) training of Army master resilience trainers (MRTs) to instill better thinking skills and resilience in their subordinates. In contrast to traditional approaches, CSF is proactive; rather than waiting to see who has a negative outcome following stress, it provides ways of improving resilience for all members of the Army. CSF aims to move the full spectrum of responses to trauma and adversity--ranging from stress-related disorders to ordinary resilience--toward personal growth. This program may provide a model for implementing similar interventions in other very large institutions.
Descriptors: Military Personnel, Learning Modules, Thinking Skills, Resilience (Psychology), Program Descriptions, Military Service, Mental Health, Incidence, Spiritual Development, Family Relationship, Stress Variables, Emotional Disturbances, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Individual Development, Intervention
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A