Cognitive Training and Integrated Primary Prevention

Maladaptive behaviors arise in response to a complex, highly individuated set of psychosocial and situational conditions. Prevention of maladaptive behaviors is, therefore, likely to require a wide variety of interventions. Based upon this literature review, there is a compelling case for cognitive training to be among these interventions. Not only does cognitive training bolster protective factors such as emotional regulation, problem-solving, and psychological well-being, but it reduces risk factors such as social isolation and impaired social skills. Furthermore, because cognitive training is beneficial to healthy (ie, nonclinical) populations, it can be appropriately framed as a tool to improve brain fitness, rather as a "mental health" intervention, the latter of which may be met with some resistance in military populations. Based upon this literature review, we recommend prospective research be conducted to further quantify the relationship between cognitive training and primary prevention of maladaptive behaviors in a military population.