Resilience, Grit, and Stress Mindset as Predictors of Air Traffic Control Training Success

Abstract

Air traffic controllers are responsible for the safe and efficient flow of air traffic. The safety-critical nature of the job calls for understanding the psychological characteristics related to success, particularly those that promote adaptive responses in the face of stress and challenge. Several non-cognitive aptitudes describe one’s capacity to bounce back or persevere under task demands. This study investigated if resilience, grit, and stress mindset were predictive of controller training success and differentiated successful and unsuccessful trainees. Findings suggest that these aptitudes did not significantly differ between trainees and accounted for only a small amount of incremental validity, though range restriction may have attenuated the results.