PROJECT SUMMARY
COMBAT MINDSET TRAINING FOR ROMANIAN STUDENTS (CoMind)

The project has a strong innovative character in the context of military higher education because it aims to introduce combat mindset training for military students, for the first time in Romania. This type of training was successfully developed in the Norwegian army by the DS partner and will be accompanied by the adaptation in Romanian of a psychological assessment tool, The Multidimensional Self-Control Scale. The main target group consists of military students and the staff of the project promoter, and the secondary target group of military psychologists.

O1: A first result of the project consists in the adaptation of the Multidimensional Self- Control Scale (MSCS) in Romanian language. The instrument is co-authored by the manager of P1 (USN). The assessment has been previously empirically tested, as: Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (MSCS) and the Brief Multidimensional Self-Control Scale (BMSCS). The 29-item MSCS consists of 6 first-order factors (Procrastination, Attentional Control, Impulse Control, Emotional Control, Goal Orientation, and Self Control Strategies), 2 second- order factors (Inhibition and Initiation), and a third-order self-control factor. Overall, results indicate that the new scales are useful measures that integrate recent theoretical and empirical findings of trait self-control.

Translation and adapting in the Romanian language was done by the experts of Partner 2, military psychologists practitioners, and in collaboration with the experts from P1. The new psychological assessment was tested within the military students population, as well with the help of other military experts and respecting the legal conditions specific to the country. The intellectual product is available as open educational resource to every practitioner certified to use these kinds of psychological assessments in the military domain. To ensure proper collection of data and dissemination, the P2 organized a multiplier event with 50 participants. Adapting and testing the psychometric properties of the MSCS was drafted in a research manuscript with the intent for publication in a academic publication co-authored by specialists of the partners.

O2: The second main goal of the project is to develop a training module for combat mindset (1 semester long training) and train 40 students enrolled in the bachelor and master studies of the PP (20 students / group training, 2 groups in implementation period CoMind Course, Anunt selectie - Sem. I, Anunt selectie - Sem. II, selected based o a proper methodology - CoMind Course, Anunt selectie - Sem. I. The training was included in the educational offer of the university, a minimum of 18 month after the finish of the project Extras plan invatamant. The students enrolled will be given a certification signed by both PP and P1.

This programme was elaborated by adapting a interdisciplinary model of training, developed by P1. The training module combines military psychology knowledge, especially cognitive approaches, applied martial arts and military sciences and in section 9, below Disciplines CoMind I. and CoMind II.

As an intellectual product, the team elaborated/ adapted a trainer’s manual for combat mindsetting CoMind Course.

To create the possibility that this training model to be adopted by other military universities, there was organized a multiplier event (M2) where 50 participants teachers from the military universities participated, and also other specialist from other military institutions (i.e. human resources department, medical department, etc.). We aim at extending the period of implementation of the training program above 18 months and we aim at extending this approach nationally. PP provides a laboratory for the training specific to combat mindset training CoMind Course.

Beyond the classic training of this program module, like the „on site” method, military students will be provided with the opportunity to access online the training, through open education system and using and e-learning platform provided by P2 (platform integrated in www.militarypsychlogy.ro site and already includes various training materials). Support materials for the training module and also video resources and bibliographic resources will be provided online. Based on the experience of this training module and collection of psychological and / or medical data from the participants, a scientific publication was drafted and sent for publication, through the contribution of experts from PP, P1 and P2 - RCIC 2023.