Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors
IntroductionPilots are a unique occupational group who perform a specialised job and face significant stressors. Pilot mental health has received increased attention since Germanwings Flight 9525; however, this research has largely focused on general anxiety, depression, and suicide and relied on a...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073857/full |
| _version_ | 1797833644638732288 |
|---|---|
| author | Corrie A. Ackland Brett R. C. Molesworth Jessica R. Grisham |
| author_facet | Corrie A. Ackland Brett R. C. Molesworth Jessica R. Grisham |
| author_sort | Corrie A. Ackland |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionPilots are a unique occupational group who perform a specialised job and face significant stressors. Pilot mental health has received increased attention since Germanwings Flight 9525; however, this research has largely focused on general anxiety, depression, and suicide and relied on a questionnaire-based methodology. This approach is likely to miss various mental health issues that may affect pilot wellbeing, leaving the prevalence of mental health issues in aviation unclear. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a particular impact on the mental health and wellbeing of pilots, who experienced the devastating effect of COVID-19 on the industry.MethodIn the present study, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of 73 commercial pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the DIAMOND semi-structured diagnostic interview and explored possible associated vulnerability and protective factors, including life event stressors, personality, passion, lifestyle factors, and coping strategies.ResultsThe COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on aviation during the time of this study, affecting 95% of participants. The diagnostic results revealed over one third of pilots had symptoms of a diagnoseable mental health disorder. Anxiety disorders were the most commonly found disorders, followed by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Adjustment Disorder, and Depressive Disorders. Pilots’ high life event scores placed them at an increased risk for the development of stress-related illness, though did not explain which pilots had mental health difficulties in this study. Regression analysis supported a diathesis-stress model for pilot mental health, with disagreeableness and obsessive passion contributing to pilots’ development of mental health issues, and nutrition as the most important protective factor.DiscussionThis study, though limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, provides a valuable precedent for a more thorough assessment of pilot mental health, and contributes to the broader understanding of pilot mental health, including suggestions to target factors associated with the development of mental health issues. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:26:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bcc990e8f5114215b829abca59357e89 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T14:26:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-bcc990e8f5114215b829abca59357e892023-05-04T04:14:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-05-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.10738571073857Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factorsCorrie A. Ackland0Brett R. C. Molesworth1Jessica R. Grisham2School of Aviation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Aviation, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaIntroductionPilots are a unique occupational group who perform a specialised job and face significant stressors. Pilot mental health has received increased attention since Germanwings Flight 9525; however, this research has largely focused on general anxiety, depression, and suicide and relied on a questionnaire-based methodology. This approach is likely to miss various mental health issues that may affect pilot wellbeing, leaving the prevalence of mental health issues in aviation unclear. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have a particular impact on the mental health and wellbeing of pilots, who experienced the devastating effect of COVID-19 on the industry.MethodIn the present study, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of 73 commercial pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic, using the DIAMOND semi-structured diagnostic interview and explored possible associated vulnerability and protective factors, including life event stressors, personality, passion, lifestyle factors, and coping strategies.ResultsThe COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on aviation during the time of this study, affecting 95% of participants. The diagnostic results revealed over one third of pilots had symptoms of a diagnoseable mental health disorder. Anxiety disorders were the most commonly found disorders, followed by Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Adjustment Disorder, and Depressive Disorders. Pilots’ high life event scores placed them at an increased risk for the development of stress-related illness, though did not explain which pilots had mental health difficulties in this study. Regression analysis supported a diathesis-stress model for pilot mental health, with disagreeableness and obsessive passion contributing to pilots’ development of mental health issues, and nutrition as the most important protective factor.DiscussionThis study, though limited to the COVID-19 pandemic, provides a valuable precedent for a more thorough assessment of pilot mental health, and contributes to the broader understanding of pilot mental health, including suggestions to target factors associated with the development of mental health issues.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073857/fullaviationpilotmental healthCOVID-19diagnoses |
| spellingShingle | Corrie A. Ackland Brett R. C. Molesworth Jessica R. Grisham Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors Frontiers in Psychology aviation pilot mental health COVID-19 diagnoses |
| title | Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| title_full | Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| title_fullStr | Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| title_short | Pilot mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: prevalence rates from semi-structured interviews, and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| title_sort | pilot mental health during the covid 19 pandemic prevalence rates from semi structured interviews and associated vulnerability and protective factors |
| topic | aviation pilot mental health COVID-19 diagnoses |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1073857/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT corrieaackland pilotmentalhealthduringthecovid19pandemicprevalenceratesfromsemistructuredinterviewsandassociatedvulnerabilityandprotectivefactors AT brettrcmolesworth pilotmentalhealthduringthecovid19pandemicprevalenceratesfromsemistructuredinterviewsandassociatedvulnerabilityandprotectivefactors AT jessicargrisham pilotmentalhealthduringthecovid19pandemicprevalenceratesfromsemistructuredinterviewsandassociatedvulnerabilityandprotectivefactors |