PSYCHOLOGICAL FUNCTIONING AMONG MEMBERS OF A SMALL POLAR EXPEDITION

Background: While depressed mood, insomnia, irritability and impaired cognition represent common responses to the physical and psychosocial stressors associated with polar environments, wide variations exist in their expression and the degree to which they adversely affect the he alth and performance of polar expeditioners. In particular, the proces s of successful adaptation to polar environments and the psychosocial characteristics associated with this process remains poorly understood . Hypothesis: Psychosocial characteristics associated with successful coping with typical stressors are also associated with successfu I ada ptation in polar environments. Methods:The 4 men and 3 women participa ting in a 3-week scientific expedition in the Canadian High Arctic com pleted a battery of psychological questionnaires, including the Profil e of Mood States (POMS), prior to their departure to Isachsen, N.W.T. In Isachsen, subjects completed the POMS and the Structured Interview Guide for the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-Seasonal Affective Diso rders Version (SIGH-SAD) each week. Results: Good psychological adjust ment was demonstrated by a significant decline in POMS factor scores f or tension-anxiety (p = 0.005), fatigue (p < 0.0001), and confusion (p = 0.024) from baseline to Week 3, and a significant decline in SIGH-S AD depressive symptoms (p < 0.0001) during Weeks 1-3. This is attribut ed to high levels of paratelic dominance and low levels of neuroticism , and use of planful problem-solving as a coping strategy more frequen tly than other coping strategies. Conclusions: Improved psychological functioning among polar expeditioners reflects a combination of psycho social characteristics that facilitate successful adaptation to any st ressful experience, as well as characteristics specifically adaptive f or living in polar environments.