The Relationship Between ROTC Cadets' Perceived Readiness and Performance in Dual-Task Treadmill Protocol

Military operations expose service members to stressful environments, characterized by anxiety, sleep deprivation, and physical and cognitive fatigue. Readiness, defined as the ability to deploy and sustain operational missions, is critical to military effectiveness but remains difficult to measure and quantify. The Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) System emphasizes that physical and cognitive readiness contribute to mental toughness and performance, yet practical readiness assessment tools remain limited. Previous research demonstrated associations between self-perceived readiness, measured using the Acute Readiness Monitoring Scale (ARMS), and performance on discrete perceptual-cognitive tasks. This exploratory mixed-methods study investigated the relationship between self-perceived readiness, objective performance outcomes, and cadets' perceptions of readiness. The objectives were to: (1) explore cadets' perceptions of readiness and the dual-task treadmill protocol in relation to future military service; (2) determine whether self-perceived readiness was associated with cognitive and physical performance during the protocol; and (3) examine whether self-perceived readiness was associated with changes in perceptual-cognitive control following the protocol. We hypothesized that higher self-perceived readiness would be associated with enhanced perceptual-cognitive control and performance.

Twenty-five physically active ROTC cadets (11 males, 14 females; mean age 19.5) from a large university participated. During a single visit, participants completed the 32-item ARMS, brief surveys assessing pain, stress, and mental fatigue, a dual-task treadmill protocol, and the Single Leg Memory Hop (SLMH) before and after treadmill testing. The treadmill protocol combined progressive physical exertion with 330 executive function tasks. Participants also completed semi-structured interviews exploring perceptions of readiness and the protocol experience. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and correlational statistics, whereas qualitative data were analyzed using a constant comparison approach. Trustworthiness was maintained with peer debriefing, reflexive journaling, audit trail, triangulation, and member checking.

Cadets demonstrated variable physical and cognitive performance during the dual-task treadmill protocol. Most maintained high cognitive accuracy (mean Stroop score 96.6%), but endurance declined as exercise intensity increased. Correlation analyses revealed few significant relationships between overall ARMS scores and objective performance outcomes, although several ARMS subscales demonstrated moderate associations with endurance and perceived exertion. Qualitative findings indicated that cadets viewed readiness as a multidimensional construct influenced by sleep, physical fitness, nutrition, emotional regulation, commitment, and mindset. Participants perceived the protocol as physically and cognitively demanding and believed it provided insight into readiness for future military service.

Few significant relationships were observed between self-perceived readiness and objective performance measures. However, the qualitative findings suggest that cadets conceptualize readiness as a multidimensional construct extending beyond physical and cognitive performance alone. Together, the findings indicate that self-perceived readiness and objective performance may represent distinct but complementary aspects of military readiness. Additional research is needed to develop and evaluate readiness assessment approaches for future military leaders.