Safety and Accident Investigation Centre, Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, UK.
Stress. 2024 Jan;27(1):2361253. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2024.2361253. Epub 2024 Jun 10.
Commercial pilots endure multiple stressors in their daily and occupational lives which are detrimental to psychological well-being and cognitive functioning. The Quick coherence technique (QCT) is an effective intervention tool to improve stress resilience and psychophysiological balance based on a five-minute paced breathing exercise with heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback. The current research reports on the application of QCT training within an international airline to improve commercial pilots' psychological health and support cognitive functions. Forty-four commercial pilots volunteered in a one-month training programme to practise self-regulated QCT in day-to-day life and flight operations. Pilots' stress index, HRV time-domain and frequency-domain parameters were collected to examine the influence of QCT practice on the stress resilience process. The results demonstrated that the QCT improved psychophysiological indicators associated with stress resilience and cognitive functions, in both day-to-day life and flight operation settings. HRV fluctuations, as measured through changes in RMSSD and LF/HF, revealed that the resilience processes were primarily controlled by the sympathetic nervous system activities that are important in promoting pilots' energy mobilization and cognitive functions, thus QCT has huge potential in facilitating flight performance and aviation safety. These findings provide scientific evidence for implementing QCT as an effective mental support programme and controlled rest strategy to improve pilots' psychological health, stress management, and operational performance.
商业飞行员在日常生活和职业生活中承受着多种压力源,这些压力源对心理健康和认知功能都有不利影响。快速相干技术(QCT)是一种有效的干预工具,可通过基于心率变异性(HRV)生物反馈的五分钟节奏呼吸练习来提高抗压能力和心理生理平衡。目前的研究报告了在一家国际航空公司中应用 QCT 培训来改善商业飞行员的心理健康和支持认知功能。44 名商业飞行员自愿参加了为期一个月的培训计划,以在日常生活和飞行操作中练习自我调节的 QCT。收集飞行员的应激指数、HRV 时域和频域参数,以检验 QCT 练习对应激适应过程的影响。结果表明,QCT 改善了与应激适应和认知功能相关的心理生理指标,无论是在日常生活还是飞行操作环境中。通过 RMSSD 和 LF/HF 的变化来衡量的 HRV 波动表明,适应过程主要受交感神经系统活动的控制,这对于促进飞行员的能量动员和认知功能很重要,因此 QCT 在促进飞行表现和航空安全方面具有巨大的潜力。这些发现为将 QCT 作为一种有效的心理支持计划和受控休息策略来改善飞行员的心理健康、压力管理和操作表现提供了科学依据。
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