NTL Record

Title Evaluation and Validation of a Stress Management Training Course for Air Traffic Control Trainees
Record ID 81898
Personal Name
Creator
Torrence, Brett S.; Barrett, Jamie; Bryant, Michelle; Pierce, Linda; Buck, Julia
Corporate Creator United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Corporate
Contributor
United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Office of Aerospace Medicine
Publisher United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Aviation Administration. Office of Aviation. Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
Publication Date 20201009
Language English
Abstract Evidence suggests that air traffic control (ATC) trainees find training at the FAA Academy to be stressful due to the fast pace of instruction, difficult performance evaluations, and pass rate. Given that stress may be a contributing factor to some trainees being unable to pass FAA Academy training, a stress management training course was developed to assist trainees in managing their stress. The objectives of this training course are to (a) improve trainee knowledge of stress and stress management concepts and (b) provide trainees stress management techniques for managing their stress while at the FAA Academy. The stress management training is based on psychological research and provides information on stress, stressors, consequences of stress, and stress management techniques. The effectiveness of the stress management training was assessed with 118 En Route and Terminal trainees enrolled in Initial Qualification training at the FAA Academy. We found that the stress management training was associated with gains in objective and perceived stress management knowledge and that these gains were maintained over one to two months. Additionally, the training was associated with gains in stress management confidence immediately following the training as well as reported changes in the use of stress management techniques. ATC trainees found the stress management training to be an effective use of their time, informative, engaging, and important to their success at the FAA Academy. The implications of these findings for the ATC training process and trainees at the FAA Academy are discussed.
Rosap ID dot:57001
Rosap URL https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/57001
TRT Terms Physiological stress; Training; Training programs; Psychological stress; Air traffic control
General Subjects stress management training; FAA Academy; stressors; Training effectiveness; trainee reactions
Geographical
Coverage
United States
TRIS Online
Accession No
1779052
Report Number DOT/FAA/AM-20/17
Resource type Tech Report
URL https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/81000/81800/81898/202017.pdf
Format PDF
Database NTL Digital Repository