Page 97 - JSOM Winter 2023

TABLE 2 Demographic Information by Physical Domain (PD) Participation
Group, %*
Variable Total Control/No PD PD <4×/week PD ≥4×/week p-value
Time in SOF, years, 4.1 4.1 5.1 2.9 .00 †
mean 95% CI (range) (3.6–4.7) (0–19) (3.0–5.1) (0–15) (4.1–6.2) (0–19) (2.1–3.8) (0–14)
†
†
Age, y, mean 31.1 31.5 31.4 30.8 .61
95% CI (range) (30.6–31.7) (21–47) (30.5–32.5) (23–41) (30.4–32.4) (21–47) (29.8–31.8) (24–43)
Rank, %
MAJ (Major) 0.9 1.6 0.0 1.6 >.05
CPT (Captain) 10.5 11.5 8.0 13.1 >.05
SGM (Sergeant Major) 0.5 1.6 0.0 0.0 >.05
MSG (Master Sergeant) 7.3 3.3 10.2 8.2 >.05
SFC (Sergeant First Class) 21.9 26.2 25.0 13.1 >.05
SSG (Staff Sergeant) 47.0 45.9 44.3 55.7 >.05
SGT (Sergeant) 8.7 6.6 8.0 6.6 >.05
WOI (Warrant Officer 1) 1.4 1.6 2.3 0.0 >.05
CW1 (Chief Warrant Officer 1) 0.5 0.0 0.0 1.6 >.05
CW2 (Chief Warrant Officer 2) 0.9 1.6 1.1 0.0 >.05
CW3 (Chief Warrant Officer 3) 0.5 1.6 1.1 0.0 >.05
Marital status
Single 19.8 21.3 20.4 16.7 >.05
Married 67.8 63.9 63.4 77.3 >.05
Committed Partnership 6.6 8.2 7.5 4.5 >.05
Separated 1.3 3.3 1.1 0.0 >.05
Divorced 4.0 3.3 6.5 1.5 >.05
Other (engaged) 0.4 0.0 1.1 0.0 >.05
Have children (Yes) 53.9 54.8 55.9 51.5 >.05
Highest degree
High school/GED 37.3 43.5 36.6 33.3 >.05
Associate’s 21.5 16.1 25.8 18.2 >.05
Bachelor’s 35.1 33.9 31.2 42.4 >.05
Master’s 3.9 3.2 4.3 4.5 >.05
Other 2.2 3.2 2.2 1.5 >.05
Days since deployment
0–90 30.1 41.4 † 21.4 † 29.5 .03 †
91–120 2.9 8.6 † 1.2 † 0.0 .03 †
121–270 19.1 13.8 25.0 16.4 >.05
271–365 10.0 10.3 11.9 8.2 >.05
>365 37.8 25.9 40.5 45.9 >.05
*Unless otherwise specified.
† Represents columns significantly different from each other.
GED = General Education Diploma; SOF = Special Operations Forces.

you would like to share?” Three themes emerged from the 60 participation were strength and power, with little difference in
responses and are listed in order of their prevalence along with agility, endurance, sleep, injury, and pain. Greater strength and
specific responses (Appendix C). Overwhelmingly, these com- power were mainly observed for PD ≥4.
ments point to the positive effects and importance of the PD
to Operators. The psychological metrics most associated with PD participa-
tion were lower anxiety, lower stress, lower depression, and
higher positive affect. However, these results should be inter-
Discussion
preted cautiously, as the differences between groups were min-
This investigation evaluated the effectiveness of the PD in imal. Overall levels of stress, anxiety, and depression were low
improving performance in all POTFF domains (PD, psycho- for all groups. The median stress level was between 7.0 and
logical, social/family, and spiritual) among SF Operators. Of 9.5 on a 40-point scale (with scores of 0–13 considered low
the four POTFF domains, the physical and psychological do- stress); the median level of anxiety was between 1.0 and 2.0
main metrics were most associated with participation in the on a 21-point scale (with a score of 5 being the cut-point for
PD. This finding is consistent with the goals of the PD, which mild anxiety); and the median depression score was between
are to increase physical and mental capabilities and decrease 1.0 and 3.0 on a 24-point scale (with a score of 10 being the
1
injury recovery time. The metrics most associated with PD cut-point for depression). 7,8,29
Physical Domain and POTFF | 95