Ytterbøl Christian, Collins Dave, MacPherson Alan
Military Academy, Norwegian Defence University College, Oslo, Norway.
Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Front Psychol. 2025 Mar 26;16:1537792. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1537792. eCollection 2025.
This study investigates how performance psychology was employed in conjunction with an operational combat squadron in NORSOF (Norwegian Special Operation Forces) whilst they were preparing for deployment. Access to this group allowed the research team to evaluate the contribution which a performance psychology package (PP) can make to an elite military unit with little or no previous exposure of such training.
The study utilized an explorative longitudinal case study format to evaluate a mixed intervention. Content was delivered in two formats: psychoeducation in a classroom setting and PP delivery during training. Data were collected through four stages of semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a significant time interval between each stage. Stage one occurred prior to the intervention-offering an informal baseline to understand what knowledge and skills the operators perceived in themselves; Stage two was conducted prior to deployment, after the unit's workup had finished. Stage three data was gathered upon the unit's return from deployment. Finally, as stage 4, an 18-month follow-up was conducted with key members of the unit.
Analyzed through Reflective Thematic Analysis, results indicate that the operators already held a high level of mental skills-likely a result of absorbing practices that are learned and developed in order to adapt successfully to their performance environment. Importantly, however, results also indicate that the additional structured PP intervention, integrated within the unit's workup training, increased perceived performance at both an individual and unit level. The follow-up supports the initial results. Discussion: Although SOF already are high performers and very good at what they do, our contention is that performance psychology could be a valuable and important concept to integrate and develop further.
本研究调查了在挪威特种作战部队（NORSOF）的一个作战中队准备部署期间，绩效心理学是如何与该中队结合运用的。对这个群体的研究使研究团队能够评估一套绩效心理学方案（PP）对一个此前很少或几乎没有接受过此类训练的精英军事单位所能做出的贡献。
本研究采用探索性纵向案例研究形式来评估一种混合干预措施。内容以两种形式提供：课堂环境下的心理教育以及训练期间的绩效心理学方案授课。通过四个阶段的半结构化深度访谈收集数据，每个阶段之间有较长的时间间隔。第一阶段在干预之前进行，提供一个非正式基线，以了解操作人员自身所具备的知识和技能；第二阶段在部署前进行，此时该单位的训练已经完成。第三阶段的数据是在该单位部署归来后收集的。最后，作为第四阶段，对该单位的关键成员进行了为期18个月的随访。
通过反思性主题分析进行分析，结果表明操作人员已经具备较高水平的心技能，这可能是他们吸收为成功适应其绩效环境而学习和发展的实践经验的结果。然而，重要的是，结果还表明，纳入该单位训练计划的额外结构化绩效心理学干预措施，在个人和单位层面都提高了感知绩效。随访结果支持了初步结果。讨论：尽管特种作战部队已经是高绩效者，并且非常擅长他们所做的事情，但我们的观点是，绩效心理学可能是一个值得整合并进一步发展的有价值且重要的概念。
