Career Enhancement Training Study (USAF) (CETS)

University of Rochester

Status: Completed

Conditions: Suicidal Ideation

Treatments: Behavioral: Stress Management; Behavioral: Wingman Connect

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT04067401

1337

Details and patient eligibility

About

A study evaluating a training program to decrease risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among early career trainees in the United States Air Force.

Full description

Relationship disruptions and social isolation are major precipitants for military suicides and a range of problems that impair functioning and reduce mission readiness. However, nearly all current military suicide prevention programming focuses on a narrow range of approaches for individuals already at high-risk (e.g., training to detect warning signs and refer for treatment services). This project addresses the need for universal prevention approaches to proactively strengthen protective factors across military populations, including strengthening social connectedness and skills to grow and sustain relationships across service.

The aims of this project are to (a) develop an intervention for early-career, enlisted United States Air Force personnel using an active training approach to strengthening social bonds, and (b) test the intervention (i.e., Wingman-Connect) using a randomized controlled trial design.

Wingman-Connect focuses on Airman-in-Training to build protective factors in: Kinship (healthy bonds); Guidance (support from mentors and mental health); Purpose (goals, sense of being valued and valuable); and Balance (self-care and support). Half of the training is focused on the class as a group to build belonging and shared purpose.

Enrollment: 1,485 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Airmen-in-Training (AiT) in Technical Training classes in the 365 or 363 Training Squadrons of the 82 Training Wing (82 TRW)
• Eligible classes must be between 37-91 class days in length

Exclusion criteria

• Airmen from other countries receiving training in US
• Airmen who are not in their first year of enlistment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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1,485 participants in 2 patient groups

Wingman Connect

Experimental group

Description:

Wingman-Connect total training time is 5 hours, typically spread over three consecutive training 'blocks'(or days), plus 1-hour of booster training (one month later).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Wingman Connect

Stress Management

Active Comparator group

Description:

The control training condition will consist of a 2 hr. informational training that provides an overview of the human stress response system and strategies to manage stress. The training will be delivered through lecture format using PowerPoint, supplemented by brief videos and interactive discussion.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Stress Management