Alternate Stress Management Behavioral Techniques during Sustained Stressful Periods

Abstract

In this thesis, I use a meta narrative analysis approach to identity effective stress management techniques that fit the unique operational environment of the U.S. Navy from prior investigations. From the earlier literature, I identify effective behavioral techniques for stress management to include mindfulness, cognitive behavioral therapy, social resilience, physical activity, program interventions, meditation and mind-body medicine, emotion regulation, mental health awareness, self-care, and coping. I then map them to the domains of the Total Sailor Fitness used by the 21st Century Sailor initiative to provide stress management support to sailors. Furthermore, I analyze the responses to an exploratory questionnaire from two shore commands and find that sailors tend to use humor and engage in hobbies as social resilience techniques, although sailors perceive the most effective coping techniques to be video games and physical activity (aerobic exercise). These initial findings can inform a follow-on study that can augment the data collection within a pilot framework to support the assessment of the stress management programs currently offered by the Navy under the 21st Century Sailor initiative.