MENTAL READINESS IN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TASKS

Emergency response tasks (ERTs) have to be performed in very challenging and stress-inducing task environments. Research has revealed that performance in ERTs is affected by emergency preparedness which in turn can be linked to the Mental Readiness (MR) of ERT personnel. This concept emerged originally from sports psychology and was found to play a key role in peak performance of top athletes. However, MR has never been used to explain performance variations in different ERTs. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to scrutinize if MR can have an effect on stress, task performance, and the operational success in ERTs. A sample of 319 people working in ERTs such as emergency medical technicians, firefighters, intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, and surgeons was surveyed. The results show that ERT personnel seem to benefit differently from the MR dimensions. Practical implications for mental training and human performance programs are discussed.