Dynamics of the pshychological state of seafarers during the period of long work in the fishery

Abstract

The aim of the study was the need to theoretically and experimentally substantiate the technology of diagnostics and correction of maladjustment changes in the psychoemotional sphere of seafarers at the stages of a long voyage. Materials and methods. The material of the research is dynamic observation in the form of psychological testing, carried out during a long voyage of the crew (n = 48 people) of the BMRT fishing vessel (large freezer fishing trawler) with the home port of Murmansk. The age of the fishermen varied from 22–36 years and averaged 27.0±0.84 years, the duration of the cruise was 152 days to catch fish in the Southwest Atlantic. The subjects belonged to different professional groups, and had worked at sea from 3 to 11 years (M = 5.4±0.26). The research methods were valid methods applied in a complex: a modified eight-color test by M. Luscher, personality questionnaire “EPI” by G. Aysenk, psychodiagnostic test “General assessment of personality” by V.М. Melnikov and L.T. Yampolsky, the MMPI questionnaire «Personal scale of manifestations of anxiety, the questionnaire» Life style index «(«LSI») Kellerman-Plutchik-Conte for identifying types of psychological defenses, the test for the study of reactive and personal anxiety Spielberger-Khanin and the test card SAN (test questionnaire Mini-cartoon). Results and discussion. the study showed that continuous (more than 3 months) fishing in the sea leads to changes in the psycho-emotional sphere of fishermen, manifested in the appearance of signs of psychological maladjustment. The majority of those examined as the leader have a trophotropic (non-optimal) type of mental adaptation to conditions of long-term work at sea, characterized by a decrease in the psychophysical reserves of the body, increased anxiety with the choice of a strategy of passive adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.