DO PSYCHOSOCIAL DECREMENTS OCCUR DURING THE 2ND HALF OF SPACE MISSIONS?

摘要

Anecdotal reports from space and studies from space analogue settings on Earth suggest that some people living and working for long periods of time in isolated and confined environments (ICEs) experience mood and performance decrements during the 2nd half of the mission. According to this view, the halfway point is an important milestone, in that people are relieved to arrive at this point in time but then realize that they have another half to go until they can return home. This may result in increased tension and the emergence of interpersonal problems, especially in the weeks just after the halfway point (the "3rd quarter phenomenon"). A review of the literature found some ICE studies that supported the emergence of 2nd half psychosocial decrements as a typical phenomenon and other studies that did not. To test for such time effects in space, we studied 13 astronauts and 17 cosmonauts who participated in the Shuttle/Mir and International Space Station (ISS) programs to see if there were increases in tension and decreases in cohesion during the 2nd half of the missions, particularly in the 3rd quarter. Subjects completed weekly questionnaires composed of mood and interpersonal environment measures that allowed us to track crewmember psychosocial status over time. Our results failed to find evidence of increased tension or lowered cohesion in the 2nd half or during the 3rd quarter of the missions. One possible reason for this finding may be related to the activities of support personnel in Mission Control in helping on-orbit crewmembers cope with long-duration missions. Because such Earth-initiated support will be less available on a long-distance planetary mission, such as an expedition to Mars, it will be important to monitor expeditionary crewmembers for emotional and interpersonal problems throughout their mission.