The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study
ABSTRACT Background Companion rescue using avalanche transceivers can lead to a disproportionate increase in mental stress and arousal, which can negatively affect performance. The aim of this mixed‐methods field study was to assess the effects of automated verbal commands on mental stress and affec...
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Brain and Behavior |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70684 |
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| author | Bernd Wallner Fabio Caramazza Simon Woyke Manuel Winkler Ivo B. Regli Peter Mair Gabriel Putzer Giacomo Strapazzon Markus Falk Hermann Brugger Katharina Hüfner |
| author_facet | Bernd Wallner Fabio Caramazza Simon Woyke Manuel Winkler Ivo B. Regli Peter Mair Gabriel Putzer Giacomo Strapazzon Markus Falk Hermann Brugger Katharina Hüfner |
| author_sort | Bernd Wallner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Background Companion rescue using avalanche transceivers can lead to a disproportionate increase in mental stress and arousal, which can negatively affect performance. The aim of this mixed‐methods field study was to assess the effects of automated verbal commands on mental stress and affective responses. Methods Participants performed two search trials using avalanche transceivers with either verbal commands (VOICE) or without verbal commands (NO VOICE) in simulated avalanche rescue scenarios. The study assessed perceived mental stress with a visual analogue scale (VAS 1–10 points) and used the Self‐Assessment‐Manikin with 9‐point Likert scales to measure affective response (valence, arousal, and dominance). Semistructured interviews were performed to assess the specific effects of verbal commands. Results Participants reported higher levels of mental stress after the trials than before the trials (−1.2 ± 2.3 points; p ≤ 0.001). A smaller increase (59.0 ± 8.2 s vs. larger increase [81.0 ± 11.5 s]) in mental stress, as detected in participants using VOICE navigation, resulted in shorter coarse search times. VOICE (Δ −1.2 ± 3.2 vs. Δ −0.6 ± 2.7 points; p = 0.041) showed a greater reduction in arousal, resulting in faster coarse search. In the qualitative interviews, the majority described VOICE navigation to be helpful. In the individual semistructured interviews, those subjects reporting a stress reduction through VOICE (38.5 ± 4.7 s vs. no stress reduction [107.4 ± 24.3 s]; p = 0.001) had a significantly faster coarse search time, and those who indicated VOICE to be helpful were faster in the coarse search (p = 0.013). Conclusions The study demonstrated that even a simulated avalanche rescue scenario results in increased mental stress levels. VOICE navigation may be an interesting option for companion avalanche rescue since it helps to reduce mental stress and arousal, thereby leading to shorter search times. The most significant limitation of the study was the setting of an experimentally created avalanche scenario, which cannot fully replicate all the environmental and psychological factors of a veritable burial situation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a2fa8baabdd44832b43433a8282171bc |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2162-3279 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Brain and Behavior |
| spelling | doaj-art-a2fa8baabdd44832b43433a8282171bc2025-08-20T03:09:00ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/brb3.70684The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field StudyBernd Wallner0Fabio Caramazza1Simon Woyke2Manuel Winkler3Ivo B. Regli4Peter Mair5Gabriel Putzer6Giacomo Strapazzon7Markus Falk8Hermann Brugger9Katharina Hüfner10Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaInstitute of Mountain Emergency Medicine Eurac Research Bolzano ItalyDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Innsbruck Medical University Hospital Medical University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaInstitute of Mountain Emergency Medicine Eurac Research Bolzano ItalyInstitute of Mountain Emergency Medicine Eurac Research Bolzano ItalyInstitute of Mountain Emergency Medicine Eurac Research Bolzano ItalyDepartment of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Psychosomatics, and Medical Psychology, University Clinic for Psychiatry II Innsbruck Medical University Innsbruck AustriaABSTRACT Background Companion rescue using avalanche transceivers can lead to a disproportionate increase in mental stress and arousal, which can negatively affect performance. The aim of this mixed‐methods field study was to assess the effects of automated verbal commands on mental stress and affective responses. Methods Participants performed two search trials using avalanche transceivers with either verbal commands (VOICE) or without verbal commands (NO VOICE) in simulated avalanche rescue scenarios. The study assessed perceived mental stress with a visual analogue scale (VAS 1–10 points) and used the Self‐Assessment‐Manikin with 9‐point Likert scales to measure affective response (valence, arousal, and dominance). Semistructured interviews were performed to assess the specific effects of verbal commands. Results Participants reported higher levels of mental stress after the trials than before the trials (−1.2 ± 2.3 points; p ≤ 0.001). A smaller increase (59.0 ± 8.2 s vs. larger increase [81.0 ± 11.5 s]) in mental stress, as detected in participants using VOICE navigation, resulted in shorter coarse search times. VOICE (Δ −1.2 ± 3.2 vs. Δ −0.6 ± 2.7 points; p = 0.041) showed a greater reduction in arousal, resulting in faster coarse search. In the qualitative interviews, the majority described VOICE navigation to be helpful. In the individual semistructured interviews, those subjects reporting a stress reduction through VOICE (38.5 ± 4.7 s vs. no stress reduction [107.4 ± 24.3 s]; p = 0.001) had a significantly faster coarse search time, and those who indicated VOICE to be helpful were faster in the coarse search (p = 0.013). Conclusions The study demonstrated that even a simulated avalanche rescue scenario results in increased mental stress levels. VOICE navigation may be an interesting option for companion avalanche rescue since it helps to reduce mental stress and arousal, thereby leading to shorter search times. The most significant limitation of the study was the setting of an experimentally created avalanche scenario, which cannot fully replicate all the environmental and psychological factors of a veritable burial situation.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70684avalanche medicinecompanion rescuetrainingtransceiver searchverbal commands |
| spellingShingle | Bernd Wallner Fabio Caramazza Simon Woyke Manuel Winkler Ivo B. Regli Peter Mair Gabriel Putzer Giacomo Strapazzon Markus Falk Hermann Brugger Katharina Hüfner The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study Brain and Behavior avalanche medicine companion rescue training transceiver search verbal commands |
| title | The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study |
| title_full | The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study |
| title_fullStr | The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study |
| title_short | The Effect of Automated Verbal Commands During Avalanche Transceiver Search on Acute Mental Stress and Arousal—A Mixed‐Methods Crossover Field Study |
| title_sort | effect of automated verbal commands during avalanche transceiver search on acute mental stress and arousal a mixed methods crossover field study |
| topic | avalanche medicine companion rescue training transceiver search verbal commands |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70684 |
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