Stress coping and the U.S. Navy aircrew factor mishap
Alkov, R.A.; Borowsky, M.S.; Gaynor, J.A.
Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine 53(11): 1112-1115
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0095-6562 PMID: 7150172 Document Number: 192623
Many of the factors that are named on life change scales or social readjustment inventories are really symptoms of stress rather than stressors themselves. Seen in this light, mishaps may also be a symptom of inadequate stress-coping strategies. According to Reinhardt and others, the typical aviator, when not adequately coping with stress, would respond through acting- out behavior. He would have interpersonal problems, marital difficulties and disciplinary problems. He would also tend to cause mishaps (aggressive behavior directed at the machine). In order to test this hypothesis, a psychological questionnaire was sent to the flight surgeon member of all major aircraft mishap boards, regardless of cause of the mishap. The questionnaire was to be completed on involved aviators and consisted of 22 questions covering life-style changes and personality variables. During calendar years 1979 and 1980, 585 questionnaires were sent out. Of these, 501 were returned. The returned questionnaires were divided into 2 groups of aviators: those that had an aircrew error factor assigned and those who did not. Several aviators were involved in cause-undetermined mishaps and these questionnaires were not used. The at-fault group contained 248 questionnaires and the not-at-fault group contained 230. A statistical test (The Fisher-Irwin Exact Test) revealed that those individuals named as a contributing cause factor to their mishap were more likely to be involved in making a decision concerning their future (i.e., whether to get out of the service or to stay for a career) and more likely to have recently become engaged. But of even greater interest is the finding that these individuals are much more likely to have marital problems; to have trouble with superiors, peers and others; and to have difficulty with interpersonal relationships in general. Apparently, aircrew members assigned as a factor in an aircraft mishap are more likely to show symptoms of inadequate stress-coping strategies. This appears through their acting-out behavior (directed towards others) rather than internalizing their feelings.