Date of Award

Fall 2012

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Education (MSEd)

Department

Human Movement Sciences

Program/Concentration

Exercise Science and Wellness

Committee Director

David Swain

Committee Member

Robert Spina

Committee Member

David Branch

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.E44 T56 2012

Abstract

PURPOSE: At rest and during a tactical pistol competition classifier, heart rate variability (HRV) time-domain, high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), total power (TP), and inter-beat-interval (IBI) measurements were examined in 28, healthy subjects (37 ± 11 yr old, 180 ± 7 cm, 90.6 ± 16.9 kg) for correlations to performance. METHODS: Resting measurements were taken supine in a quiet, dimmed room, during metronomic breathing. The shooting task consisted of three stages, comprised of several strings each. The strings were initiated by a starting buzzer and involved several tactical maneuvers, including holster draws, engaging multiple targets, firing on the move, from behind cover, and single handed. Time to completion and accuracy were recorded, and combined to form a calculated score with lower values indicating better shooting performance. HRV measures recorded during shooting were subtracted from those recorded at rest to determine delta (∆) scores. Each subject completed a questionnaire on competition and training history. The years spent competing, frequency of competition, number of classifiers completed, and whether they had received professional training were coded and analyze for relationships to HRV and shooting performance measures. RESULTS: Raw time was significantly correlated to shooting IBI (r = 0.404), ∆IBI (r = -0.426), ∆HF (r = 0.468), ∆TP (r = 0.392), years competing (r = -0.422), frequency of competition (r = -0.511), and number of classifiers (r = -0.554). Inaccuracy was significantly correlated to ∆TP (r = 0.416) and the ∆LF (r = 0.376). Calculated match score was significantly correlated to ∆IBI (r = -0.458), ∆HF (r = 0.467), 6LF (r= 0.377), 6TP (r = 0.451), frequency of competition (r = -0.465), number of classifiers (r = -0.515), and lack of professional training (r = 0.448). Training excluded, a step-wise linear regression found 34.6% of the adjusted variance in score (Adjusted R2 = 0.346, 2,25F = 8.129, p < 0.01) was determined by the ∆IBI (standardized β = -0.582, p = 0.001) and 6HF (standardized β = 0.447, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that ∆IBI arises from the physical work of accomplishing the task at a faster rate, and is independent of the psychological stress response as measured by HRV. Superior performing shooters attenuated the reduction in HRV, regardless of MBI. Those shooters who had more experience did not incur as great of a stress response and also perfo1med better. HRV is an important factor in the psychophysiological influence on controlling perception and stress response reaction, regardless of impact on cardiac cycle rate, and should be used to assess military and police performance, especially under duress.

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DOI

10.25777/7x34-dz22

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