Mindfulness training as cognitive training in high-demand cohorts: An initial study in elite military servicemembers

Anthony P. Zanesco; Ekaterina Denkova; Scott L. Rogers; William K. MacNulty; Amishi P. Jha

doi:10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.001

Mindfulness training as cognitive training in high-demand cohorts: An initial study in elite military servicemembers

Anthony P. Zanesco
, Ekaterina Denkova
, Scott L. Rogers
, William K. MacNulty
, Amishi P. Jha

Producción científica: Chapter › revisión exhaustiva

57 Citas (Scopus)

Resumen

Cognitive ability is a key selection criterion for entry into many elite professions. Herein, we investigate whether mindfulness training (MT) can enhance cognitive performance in elite military forces. The cognitive effects of a short-form 8-h MT program contextualized for military cohorts, referred to as Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT), were assessed. Servicemembers received either a 2-week (n = 40) or 4-week (n = 36) version of MBAT or no training (NTC, n = 44). Sustained attention and working memory task performance along with self-reported cognitive failures were assessed at study onset (T1) and 8-weeks later (T2). In contrast to both the NTC and 2-week MT groups, the 4-week MT group significantly improved over time on attention and working memory outcome measures. Among the 4-week more so than the 2-week MBAT participants, working memory performance improvements were correlated with their amount of out-of-class MT practice. In addition to these group-wise effects, all participants receiving MBAT decreased in their self-reported cognitive failures from T1 to T2. Importantly, none of these improvements were related to self-reported task motivation. Together, these results suggest that short-form MT, when delivered over a 4-week delivery schedule, may be an effective cognitive training tool in elite military cohorts.

Idioma original	English
Título de la publicación alojada	Meditation
Editores	Narayanan Srinivasan
Páginas	323-354
Número de páginas	32
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.10.001
Estado	Published - ene 1 2019

Serie de la publicación

Nombre	Progress in Brain Research
Volumen	244
ISSN (versión impresa)	0079-6123
ISSN (versión digital)	1875-7855

Nota bibliográfica

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Elsevier B.V.

Financiación

The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corp, or U.S. Government. We thank Keith Chichester, Emily Schwartz, Joanna Witkin, and Lindsey Slavin for their assistance with data collection, and MBAT advisory board members Maj. Gen. Walter Piatt, Col. (R) Michael Brumage, Col. (R) Charles Hogue, Sharon Salzberg, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Dr. Michael Gervais for their guidance and input in program development. We thank our participants for their involvement in this project and dedicate this paper to the SOF Warrior R.T. This research was supported by Henry Jackson Foundation Grant #HU0001-15-2-0003 with subaward #3479 to A.P.J. Clinical Trial #: NCT03310112 . The opinions or assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense, United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corp, or U.S. Government. We thank Keith Chichester, Emily Schwartz, Joanna Witkin, and Lindsey Slavin for their assistance with data collection, and MBAT advisory board members Maj. Gen. Walter Piatt, Col. (R) Michael Brumage, Col. (R) Charles Hogue, Sharon Salzberg, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Dr. Michael Gervais for their guidance and input in program development. We thank our participants for their involvement in this project and dedicate this paper to the SOF Warrior R.T. This research was supported by Henry Jackson Foundation Grant #HU0001-15-2-0003 with subaward #3479 to A.P.J. Clinical Trial #: NCT03310112.

Financiadores	Número del financiador
U.S. Department of Defense
Henry M. Jackson Foundation	0001-15-2-0003, NCT03310112, 3479
Henry M. Jackson Foundation
U.S. Public Health Service

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience

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abstract = "Cognitive ability is a key selection criterion for entry into many elite professions. Herein, we investigate whether mindfulness training (MT) can enhance cognitive performance in elite military forces. The cognitive effects of a short-form 8-h MT program contextualized for military cohorts, referred to as Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT), were assessed. Servicemembers received either a 2-week (n = 40) or 4-week (n = 36) version of MBAT or no training (NTC, n = 44). Sustained attention and working memory task performance along with self-reported cognitive failures were assessed at study onset (T1) and 8-weeks later (T2). In contrast to both the NTC and 2-week MT groups, the 4-week MT group significantly improved over time on attention and working memory outcome measures. Among the 4-week more so than the 2-week MBAT participants, working memory performance improvements were correlated with their amount of out-of-class MT practice. In addition to these group-wise effects, all participants receiving MBAT decreased in their self-reported cognitive failures from T1 to T2. Importantly, none of these improvements were related to self-reported task motivation. Together, these results suggest that short-form MT, when delivered over a 4-week delivery schedule, may be an effective cognitive training tool in elite military cohorts.",

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Mindfulness training as cognitive training in high-demand cohorts: An initial study in elite military servicemembers

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