Start Date
April 2026
Location
2nd floor - Library
Abstract
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets balance physical, academic, and military requirements. However, research on how caffeine might influence cadets before, during, and after the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) has not been conducted. This study investigated whether caffeine consumption relates to ACFT performance, fatigue, and self-confidence among ROTC cadets (N = 47) from a Midwestern university. It was hypothesized that caffeine consumers would demonstrate higher ACFT scores, lower fatigue, and greater confidence. Performance was assessed using the ACFT, which consists of six events. Individual event scores and total scores were recorded on the official DA Form 705. Fatigue was measured using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (Hoddes et al., 1973). Self-confidence was measured through the Sports Competition Self-Confidence Questionnaire (Martínez Romero et al., 2016). Participants were categorized into caffeine consumers (n = 7) and non-consumers (n = 40). Independent samples t-tests revealed no statistically significant differences between groups for overall ACFT scores, t(46) = -0.77, p = .22; post-test fatigue, t(46) = 0.43, p = .33; or confidence ratings before, t(46) = 0.58, p = .28; during, t(46) = -0.76, p = .23; or after testing, t(46) = 0.83, p = .21. Findings show that caffeine did not significantly improve ACFT performance, fatigue, or confidence. This may be because only a small sample size reported using caffeine, which limited the study’s statistical power. Future studies should include more participants and control for caffeine dosage and timing. Understanding how caffeine impacts cadets is important for improving training and strategies for cadets.
Caffeine Effects on ROTC Cadets’ Fatigue and Performance
2nd floor - Library
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets balance physical, academic, and military requirements. However, research on how caffeine might influence cadets before, during, and after the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) has not been conducted. This study investigated whether caffeine consumption relates to ACFT performance, fatigue, and self-confidence among ROTC cadets (N = 47) from a Midwestern university. It was hypothesized that caffeine consumers would demonstrate higher ACFT scores, lower fatigue, and greater confidence. Performance was assessed using the ACFT, which consists of six events. Individual event scores and total scores were recorded on the official DA Form 705. Fatigue was measured using the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (Hoddes et al., 1973). Self-confidence was measured through the Sports Competition Self-Confidence Questionnaire (Martínez Romero et al., 2016). Participants were categorized into caffeine consumers (n = 7) and non-consumers (n = 40). Independent samples t-tests revealed no statistically significant differences between groups for overall ACFT scores, t(46) = -0.77, p = .22; post-test fatigue, t(46) = 0.43, p = .33; or confidence ratings before, t(46) = 0.58, p = .28; during, t(46) = -0.76, p = .23; or after testing, t(46) = 0.83, p = .21. Findings show that caffeine did not significantly improve ACFT performance, fatigue, or confidence. This may be because only a small sample size reported using caffeine, which limited the study’s statistical power. Future studies should include more participants and control for caffeine dosage and timing. Understanding how caffeine impacts cadets is important for improving training and strategies for cadets.
