EFFECTS OF PROLONGED ISOLATION IN EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS ON STRESS, COPING, AND DEPRESSION

This influence of prolonged isolation in an extreme environment on dep ressive symptoms, personality, and coping resources was examined in 12 1 members of the United States Antarctic Program in 1988-1989. Subject s were followed for a 1-year period in Antarctica. Winter-over personn el experienced an increase in depressive symptoms, avoidance as a copi ng method, and emotional discharge as a coping resource from baseline (T-0) to Year-(1) (T-1). At T-0, education, negative life events, job- related stress, low self-confidence, active cognitive and behavioral c oping methods, and low satisfaction with social support were independe nt predictors of depressive symptoms. At T-1, negative life events, lo w self-confidence, active behavioral and avoidance coping methods, aff ective regulation as a coping resource, and low satisfaction with soci al support were independent predictors of depressive symptoms. However , with the exception of To depressive symptoms, none of the social and demographic characteristics and To psychosocial measures predicted T- 1 depressive symptoms. The results of this study support the hypothesi s that coping may be more strongly associated with environmental condi tions that influence severity of stressor and availability of coping r esources than with more remote and stable background factors.