ביופידבק וגישות של פסיכופיזיולוגיה יישומית מתחילים למצוא בהדרגה את דרכם לעולם הצבאי. להלן נביא שני שימושים של משוב ביולוגי בצבא כפי שכבר תוארו בעשרים שנה האחרונות
- התקציר הראשון עוסק בשמושי הביופידבק מנקודת המבט של הפסיכולוג הפרטני בצבא.
- התקציר השני עוסק בשמושי ביופידבק גם למיון, מניעה, וכמובן טיפול
.
The Application of Biofeedback to Psychological Problems in the Military Setting
Arnon Rolnick
Israeli Navy
Published in Biofeedback and Self Regulation, 1992, 17(3), 235.
Military tasks involve exposure to extremely stressful environments,
like diving under the water or being in a small, crowded submarine.
Another more common example is seasickness, which is very frequent
in modern navies that employ the Fast Attack Missile Craft. Previous
work at NASA and by the USAF have shown that biofeedback might
be a useful technique in coping with motion sickness. No work has been
published on the possible application of biofeedback to reduce seasickness
and its effects. In our research we found that young inexperienced
sailors who are exposed to aversive uncontrolled stimuli might develop
profound helplessness reactions. Such sailors are unable to perform their
jobs and suffer from depression and low motivation. Our biofeedback
program therefore also employs psychotherapeutic elements, including
(a) discussing the soldier's attitude and emotional reactions toward the
service, and helping him identify his helplessness reaction; (b) focusing
therapy on "regaining control over physiological and emotional reactions";
(c) EMG, GSR, and temperature biofeedback; (d) exposure to
motion sickness in a simulator; (e) relaxation exercises at the missile
ship; and (f) exposure to real sea conditions. The encounter with the
military environment also may lead to a variety of psychosomatic
problems which require psychological intervention. The unique character
of the military mental health system demands a brief and focused
therapeutic approach. EMG biofeedback is used for relaxation. GSR
biofeedback is used not only as a means of gaining control over
autonomic functions but also as part of psychodynamic psychotherapy:
the patient's galvanic skin responses are presented to him while he is
engaged in psychotherapeutic dialogue. This procedure enables the
patient to experience the link between emotional and physiological
processes and eases his passage into psychotherapy. In summary, the
contribution of biofeedback goes much beyond reducing undesirable
autonomic responses. Control over physiological functions changes the
young soldier's emotional and cognitive attitude, preventing the development
of helplessness while increasing self-efficacy and hope.
Applied Psychophysiology in Military Settings
Amon Rolnick, Sheba Medical Center, Israel
Paul R. Bindlcr,'** Queens College of the City University of New York
26th Annual meeting American Association for Applied Psychophysiology, and Biofeedback. Cinnciamti, March 9-13, 1995
There are three areas where applied psychophysiological methods are relevant in
military settings:
Personnel Selection, psychophysiological measures used to select
personnel best suited for particular tasks.
Primary Prevention, psychophysiological training is used to optimize the performance of military personnel.
Psychophysiological Psychotherapy, psychophysiological methods such as
biofeedback are incorporated into treatment for military personnel diagnosed with
anxiety disorders and stress related illness. Preliminary data are presented reflecting
our model of assessing and training personnel to cope with extreme, traumatic stress
based on research in Israel and the United States
.
