Impact of Mindfulness Training on Physiological Measures of Stress and Objective Measures of Attention Control in a Military Helicopter Unit
Anders Meland, Kazuma Ishimatsu, Anne Marte Pensgaard, Anthony Wagstaff, Vivianne Fonne, Anne Helene Garde, Anette Harris
International Journal of Aviation Psychology October 2, 2015 DOI: 10.1080/10508414.2015.1162639 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Controlled trial with waitlist control group (mixed between–within analysis) Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Personnel of a military helicopter unit exposed to a prolonged period of high workload |
| Intervention | Mindfulness training |
| Duration | 4-month mindfulness training |
| Measures | salivary cortisol, go–no go test, test of stimulus-driven attentional capture, self-reported mental demands, time of wakeup, sleep duration, quality of sleep, outcome expectancies, physical activity level, self-perceived mindfulness, symptoms of depression and anxiety |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 54 |
| Key findings | Mindfulness training was associated with a larger pre-to-post increase in high- and low-cortisol slopes and a decrease in perceived mental demand on the go–no go test compared with a waitlist control group. The authors conclude that the training alleviates some of the physiological stress response and subjective mental demands of challenging tasks during high workload. |
Abstract
Objective: This study sought to determine if mindfulness training (MT) has a measurable impact on stress and attentional control as measured by objective physiological and psychological means.Background: Periods of persistent, intensive work demands are known to compromise recovery and attentional capacity. The effects of 4-month MT on salivary cortisol and performance on 2 computer-based cognitive tasks were tested on a military helicopter unit exposed to a prolonged period of high workload.Methods: MT participants were compared to a wait list control group on levels of saliva cortisol and performance on a go–no go test and a test of stimulus-driven attentional capture. Participants also reported mental demands on the go–no go test, time of wakeup, sleep duration, quality of sleep, outcome expectancies, physical activity level, self-perceived mindfulness, and symptoms of depression and anxiety.Results: The results from a mixed between–within analysis revealed that the MT participants compared to the control group had a larger pre to post increase in high- and low-cortisol slopes, and decrease in perceived mental demand imposed by the go–no go test.Conclusion: MT alleviates some of the physiological stress response and the subjective mental demands of challenging tasks in a military helicopter unit during a period of high workload.
Comparable studies
Other non-randomized and open-label trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction in Relation to Quality of Life, Mood, Symptoms of Stress, and Immune Parameters in Breast and Prostate Cancer Outpatients Early-stage breast and prostate cancer patients | 2003 | Pre-post intervention study | n = 59 |
| Exploring self‐compassion and empathy in the context of mindfulness‐based stress reduction (MBSR) Community sample | 2010 | Pre-post intervention study | |
| Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Lowers Psychological Distress In Medical Students Second-year medical students | 2003 | Prospective nonrandomized cohort-controlled study | n = 302 |
| Intensive meditation training, immune cell telomerase activity, and psychological mediators. Retreat participants and matched controls | 2011 | Controlled trial with wait-list control group | n = 60 |
| The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Training for Children with ADHD and Mindful Parenting for their Parents Children aged 8-12 with ADHD and their parents | 2011 | Within-group waitlist controlled trial | n = 22 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Mindfulness Training in Military Settings: Emerging Evidence and Best-Practice Guidance. Current Psychiatry Reports June 1, 2025
- Evaluating Mindfulness Training as a Cognitive Performance Enhancement Tool: Insights from Two Pragmatic Cluster-Randomized Trials in an Elite Military Educational Setting Mindfulness April 1, 2026
- The role of mindfulness and resilience in Navy SEAL training. Military psychology : the official journal of the Division of Military Psychology, American Psychological Association May 3, 2024
- Attentional Control May Be Modifiable with Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy to Prevent Suicide Behaviour Research and Therapy October 1, 2021
- Mindfulness Training Improves Quality of Life and Reduces Depression and Anxiety Symptoms Among Police Officers: Results From the POLICE Study—A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial Frontiers in Psychiatry February 26, 2021
and 3 more in the library
Cites 8
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2003
- How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective Perspectives on Psychological Science October 14, 2011
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Short-term autonomic and cardiovascular effects of mindfulness body scan meditation Annals of Behavioral Medicine November 15, 2006
and 3 more in the library