Effects of reflex-based self-defence training on police performance in simulated high-pressure arrest situations

Figures & data

Figure 1. A flinch response.

Table 1. Mean differences in anxiety score (on scale 0–10), mental effort score (on scale 0–150) and performance scores (on scale 1–5) between pre- and post-tests.

	FIRST	ASDS
Anxiety
Anxiety score	−0.7 (1.0)*	−0.1 (0.8)
Mental effort score	−0.5 (1.1)	0.4 (0.9)
Performance
Overall performance	1.6 (0.4)***	0.0 (0.3)
Pre-contact phase
Communication	0.7 (0.4)***	0.0 (0.4)
Alertness	1.3 (0.5)***	0.0 (0.2)
Assertiveness	1.1 (0.7)**	0.0 (0.4)
Active posture	1.2 (0.6)***	−0.1 (0.2)
Positioning	1.3 (0.6)***	0.3 (0.3)*
Contact phase
Communication	1.2 (0.5)***	−0.2 (0.4)
Resolution	0.8 (0.5)***	0.2 (0.3)*
Proportionality	0.3 (0.3)**	0.0 (0.3)
Scan area	0.5 (0.4)**	−0.1 (0.3)
Control before handcuffing	0.9 (0.7)**	−0.3 (0.7)
Technique variables
Use of flinch response	2.2 (0.7)***	0.0 (0.5)
Extension power	1.0 (0.9)**	0.2 (0.5)
Flexion power	−1.0 (0.7)**	0.5 (0.8)
Effectiveness verbal skills	0.7 (0.4)***	0.0 (0.4)
Effectiveness physical skills	1.7 (0.6)***	−0.1 (0.4)
Effectiveness response against an armed attack	2.6 (1.1)***	0.1 (0.7)

* p < .05,

** p < .01,

*** p < .001.

Table 2. Statistics of the 2 (Training: FIRST, ASDS) × 2 (Test: pre, post) ANOVAs per variable.

	Training	Test	Training × Test interaction
Pre-contact phase
Communication	F(1,10) = 0.8, p = .40	F(1,10) = 25.0, p < .01, ƒ = 1.6	F(1,10) = 13.1, p < .01, ƒ = 1.2
Alertness	F(1,10) = 0.2, p = .66	F(1,10) = 57.4, p < .001, ƒ = 2.4	F(1,10) = 48.0, p < .001, ƒ = 2.2
Assertiveness	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .88	F(1,10) = 24.5, p < .01, ƒ = 1.6	F(1,10) = 13.4, p < .01, ƒ = 1.2
Active posture	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .97	F(1,10) = 49.0, p < .001, ƒ = 2.2	F(1,10) = 37.1, p < .001, ƒ = 1.9
Positioning	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .91	F(1,10) = 128.3, p < .001, ƒ = 3.6	F(1,10) = 16.5, p < .01, ƒ = 1.3
Contact phase
Communication	F(1,10) = 0.6, p = .45	F(1,10) = 31.9, p < .001, ƒ = 1.8	F(1,10) = 50.7, p < .001, ƒ = 2.3
Resolution	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .98	F(1,10) = 46.8, p < .001, ƒ = 2.1	F(1,10) = 10.6, p < .01, ƒ = 1.0
Proportionality	F(1,10) = 0.3, p = .57	F(1,10) = 7.7, p < .05, ƒ = 0.9	F(1,10) = 4.5, p = .06, ƒ = 0.7
Scan area	F(1,10) = 0.9, p = .40	F(1,10) = 9.2, p < .01, ƒ = 1.0	F(1,10) = 15.0, p < .01, ƒ = 1.2
Control before handcuffing	F(1,10) = 0.2, p = .71	F(1,10) = 13.5, p < .01, ƒ = 1.2	F(1,10) = 7.4, p < .05, ƒ = 1.0
Technique variables
Use of flinch response	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .93	F(1,10) = 154.7, p < .001, ƒ = 4.0	F(1,10) = 45.7, p < .001, ƒ = 2.1
Extension power	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .99	F(1,10) = 14.1, p < .01, ƒ = 1.2	F(1,10) = 9.8, p < .05, ƒ = 1.0
Flexion power	F(1,10) = 0.1, p = .74	F(1,10) = 2.3, p = .16	F(1,10) = 16.2, p < .01, ƒ = 1.3
Effectiveness verbal skills	F(1,10) = 0.2, p = .66	F(1,10) = 19.5, p < .01, ƒ = 1.4	F(1,10) = 19.4, p < .01, ƒ = 1.4
Effectiveness physical skills	F(1,10) < 0.1, p = .99	F(1,10) = 87.5, p < .001, ƒ = 3.0	F(1,10) = 59.2, p < .001, ƒ = 2.5
Effectiveness response against an armed attack	F(1,10) = 0.3, p = .60	F(1,10) = 69.4, p < .001, ƒ = 2.6	F(1,10) = 36.2, p < .001, ƒ = 1.9

Table

	FIRST/ASDS			ASDS/FIRST
	Pre-test	Post-test 1	Post-test 2	Pre-test	Post-test 1	Post-test 2
Overall performance	2.6 (0.2)	4.2 (0.6)	4.2 (0.6)	2.7 (0.4)	2.7 (0.3)	4.3 (0.5)
Pre-contact phase
Communication	3.1 (0.3)	3.7 (0.6)	4.0 (0.5)	3.4 (0.5)	3.1 (0.2)	3.9 (0.5)
Alertness	2.7 (0.5)	4.0 (0.6)	4.1 (0.7)	3.1 (0.4)	3.0 (0.1)	4.3 (0.5)
Assertiveness	3.0 (0.4)	3.8 (0.5)	4.0 (0.5)	3.1 (0.3)	2.7 (0.3)	4.1 (0.7)
Active posture	2.7 (0.3)	3.8 (0.5)	3.7 (0.3)	3.0 (0.4)	2.8 (0.2)	4.1 (0.5)
Positioning	2.8 (0.3)	3.8 (0.6)	4.1 (0.3)	2.4 (0.3)	2.5 (0.2)	4.1 (0.1)
Contact phase
Communication	2.6 (0.2)	3.8 (0.4)	3.8 (0.6)	3.1 (0.3)	2.8 (0.3)	4.0 (0.7)
Resolution	3.1 (0.3)	3.8 (0.4)	4.0 (0.4)	2.9 (0.3)	3.2 (0.1)	4.1 (0.3)
Proportionality	4.6 (0.4)	4.8 (0.2)	4.8 (0.2)	4.4 (0.4)	4.6 (0.3)	4.9 (0.1)
Scan area	2.9 (0.3)	3.4 (0.3)	3.4 (0.4)	3.1 (0.2)	2.8 (0.4)	3.4 (0.3)
Control before handcuffing	3.0 (0.6)	3.6 (0.5)	3.6 (0.6)	3.1 (0.6)	2.5 (0.6)	3.8 (0.9)
Technique variables
Use of flinch response	1.9 (0.3)	4.0 (0.9)	4.0 (0.8)	2.1 (0.3)	2.0 (0.3)	4.4 (0.3)
Extension power	2.3 (0.4)	3.3 (0.9)	3.4 (1.0)	1.9 (0.5)	2.1 (0.2)	3.2 (0.7)
Flexion power	2.3 (0.4)	3.3 (0.9)	3.4 (1.0)	2.5 (0.6)	2.9 (0.4)	1.9 (0.2)
Effectiveness verbal skills	2.9 (0.3)	3.5 (0.4)	3.7 (0.6)	3.0 (0.4)	2.8 (0.3)	3.6 (0.4)
Effectiveness physical skills	2.7 (0.2)	4.2 (0.5)	4.2 (0.5)	2.8 (0.5)	2.6 (0.3)	4.6 (0.3)
Effectiveness response against an armed attack	1.3 (0.4)	4.2 (0.9)	4.3 (0.8)	1.6 (0.6)	1.7 (0.8)	4.1 (1.2)