Five-session group skills training to build mental toughness for active-duty Soldiers
Official title: SAFEGUARD Life Force
Run by Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences · NCT07050238 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study will test whether a five-session group program called Life Force can strengthen mental toughness and reduce harmful or high-risk behaviors in active-duty Soldiers at Fort Hood.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 2400 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Federal |
| Locations | 1 site (Killeen, Texas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 6, 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 1, 2028 |
| Study ends | July 1, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | June 15, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07050238 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Active-duty regular Army Soldiers aged 18 or older who are stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, and who do not plan to leave service, PCS, or deploy within 12 months are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
Soldiers planning to leave active duty, with a scheduled PCS or deployment within 12 months, or who cannot attend in-person sessions at Fort Hood are unlikely to participate or benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Life Force is a five-session, group-based skills training tailored for active-duty Soldiers that teaches building support, persistence, embracing setbacks, accountability, and emotion regulation. Participants complete a 15–20 minute baseline survey and follow-up surveys at 6 and 12 months, and an AI machine-learning algorithm built from military records helps identify those most likely to benefit before random assignment. Eligible participants are randomly assigned to the Life Force training or a control group, with trained facilitators delivering in-person sessions at Fort Hood. Outcomes focus on changes in mental toughness and rates of harmful or high-risk behaviors over one year.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help Soldiers perform better under pressure, recover from setbacks more quickly, and reduce risky or harmful behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Group-based resilience and skills trainings have shown mixed but generally promising effects in military and civilian samples, while using an AI algorithm to target likely responders is a relatively novel approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Active duty Soldiers in the regular Army * Age 18 or older * Stationed at Fort Hood, TX Exclusion Criteria: * Soldiers with self-identified plans of leaving active duty service within 12 months of the baseline assessment * Soldiers having a planned permanent change in station (PCS) or deployment within 12 months of the baseline assessment
Where it's running
-
Fort Hood
Killeen, Texas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Life Force Study
- Email: life-force-study-ggg@usuhs.edu
- Phone: 301-295-3485
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.