Page 110 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Winter 2014

training, application, and integration of mental skills to Figure 1 Resources and demands matching for possible flow
11
ensure operators function their best, both at work and (adapted from Csikszentmihalyi ).
home, by focusing more effectively, recovering faster,
and making better decisions than they would have with-
out such training. 2

Mental skills training is a commonly accepted set of
performance enhancement approaches derived from
sports science and clinical/counseling psychology and,
3,4
more recently, from military contexts, including com-
bat. Certainly within SOF, optimal performance is
5,6
crucial, and evidence-based performance enhancement
techniques can be applied. Some of the basic tenets of
7
performance enhancement within military and sport set-
tings include maintaining high awareness, motivation,
and self-control, either by reducing high levels of physi-
ologic arousal or by having this state produce a neutral
or facilitative impact. 8,9

As noted by Deuster et al., the Demand-Resources
1
Model (DRM) suggests that when demands exceed re-
sources (e.g., family problems and physical problems ex- experiences can be rare but can potentially happen in
ceed one’s energy level), performance is adequate at best, most any context where performance matters, such
but probably suboptimal. When demands greatly exceed as in sports, in business, in family matters, or even in
resources (e.g., family problems are pervasive, physical combat. 12,13 Flow states may perhaps be more likely to
problems are present, intense training is occurring, sleep occur in combat because of the narrowing of attention
is inadequate, and caffeine or alcohol are being used in associated with fight or flight, and thoughts limited to
excess), the performance outcome could be failure. In survival. 12,13 However, states of anxiety or panic can also
contrast, when available resources exceed demands, per- reflect a mismatch between degree of challenge and per-
formance should be optimized. However, some sense of ceived skill for a given situation. The use of mental skills
1
challenge is a prerequisite for optimal performance, as can reduce the sense of challenge through (1) reducing
tedium or a sense of underutilization can ironically cre- physiologic arousal, (2) reinterpreting/reaffirming some
ate demands that feel in excess of resources. 10 anxiety as facilitating performance, and (3) improving
one’s coping skills and confidence. 8,9,14,15
The term “in the zone” is often used by media and lay
people to describe an optimal state of functioning for It is important to note that the balance between skill and
athletes and performers. Czisksentmihalyi, a positive challenge is paramount for flow, and so for SOF per-
11
psychology scholar, coined the research term “flow” to sonnel, an already highly skilled group (for training and
describe this optimal state of complete immersion into operational tasks), the emotional state resulting from
an experience. He characterized flow as a state of to- low-level or high-level challenges could impact perfor-
tal concentration on, total immersion in, or complete mance on these tasks. As denoted in Figure 2, operators
16
engagement with a particular activity and/or situation. could experience a sense of relaxation or control (rather
The involvement/focus is so complete that nothing else than flow) for low-level challenges that are easily accom-
seems to matter. For a flow experiences to occur, the plished given their skill level. On the other hand, tasks
person engaged in the activity must have : experienced as being outside the norm (without honed
12
skills to meet the challenge), such as coping with marital
• A clear set of goals and progress. strife, could potentially trigger apathy, worry, or anxiety.
• Well-defined and immediate feedback.
• Balance between perceived challenges of the task and The positive psychology concept of flow is consistent
perceived skills. with the DRM (Table 1), because when human beings
experience a match between demands and resources,
In fact, the balance between the degree of challenge and they perform their best and can potentially experience
the perceived skill level is critical. Figure 1 depicts the an intrinsically rewarding blend of action and aware-
critical nature of balance between degree of challenge ness, allowing them to be completely present with what
and skill/confidence, and the likely emotional states, they are doing. 10,17 Enhancing psychological fitness,
given imbalances between skill and challenge. Flow partly through mental-skills training aimed at better

100 Journal of Special Operations Medicine Volume 14, Edition 4/Winter 2014