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(negative psychosocial functioning, k = 12, N = 52) depicts an almost mirror 

(negative psychosocial functioning, k = 12, N = 52) depicts an almost mirror 

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Technical Report
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The purpose of this document is to provide a systematic review of the literature characterizing the well-being-performance relationship in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments. This report also examines temporal effects on well-being and stress/negative psychosocial functioning over the duration of ICE missions. In doing so, this repo...

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The challenge to effectively evaluating teams in extreme environments necessarily involves a wide range of physiological, psychological, and psychosocial factors. The high reliance on technology, the growing frequency of multinational and multicultural teams, and the demand for longer duration missions all further compound the complexity of the pro...

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... It can be job related, inter-team coordination, or used by mission control to manage the performance of crew members [4]. Communication can be an important factor in isolation missions, stabilizing the well-being as a carrier of relations with friends, family or a wider group of associates [22]. The level of copresence during mediated communication (usually higher in rich media like VR) influences wellbeing [21]. ...
Preprint
Alpha-XR Mission conducted by XR Lab PJAIT focused on research related to individual and crew well-being and participatory team collaboration in ICE (isolated, confined and extreme) conditions. In this two-week mission within an analog space habitat, collaboration, objective execution and leisure was facilitated and studied by virtual reality (VR) tools. The mission commander and first officer, both experienced with virtual reality, took part in daily briefings with mission control. In the first week the briefings were voice-only conducted via a channel on Discord. During the following week last briefings were conducted in VR, using Horizon Workrooms. This qualitative pilot study employing participatory observation revealed that VR facilitates communication, especially on complex problems and experiences, providing the sense of emotional connection and shared understanding, that may be lacking in audio calls. The study points to the need to further explore VR-facilitated communication in high-stake environments as it may improve relationships, well-being, and communication outcomes.
... While studies of crew members onboard a SSBN report higher levels of cortisone compared to baseline, and higher levels of stress during the mission (Sandal et al., 2003), we still know little about how stress is experienced by individuals in ICE/EUE. Sources of stress in ICE/EUE can be divided into five, interacting categories (McPhee and Charles, 2009;Sandal et al., 2006;Smith and Barrett, 2018;Suedfeld and Steel, 2000;Vakoch, 2011Vakoch, , 2013Vanhove, 2014). (1) Environmental stressors relate to the harsh environment. ...
... Over time, ICE/EUE living conditions have improved considerably to minimize stressors, and many authors have argued that the community focuses too much on the pathogenic experience of individuals in these extremes (Palinkas, 2003;Shea et al., 2009;Suedfeld, 2005;Vanhove et al., 2014;Zimmer et al., 2013). Due to the nature of ICE/EUE environments, it has been considered for many years that humans cannot adapt. ...
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NASA is planning human exploration of the Moon, while preparations are underway for human missions to Mars, and deeper into the solar system. These missions will expose space travelers to unusual conditions, which they will have to adapt to. Similar conditions are found in several analogous environments on Earth, and studies can provide an initial understanding of the challenges for human adaptation. Such environments can be marked by an extreme climate, danger, limited facilities and supplies, isolation from loved ones, or mandatory interaction with others. They are rarely encountered by most human beings, and mainly concern certain professions in limited missions. This systematic review focuses on professional extreme environments and captures data from papers published since 2005. Our findings provide an insight into their physiological, biological, cognitive, and behavioral impacts for better understand how humans adapt or not to them. This study provides a framework for studying adaptation, which is particularly important in light of upcoming longer space expeditions to more distant destinations.
... Historical data from research stations in Antarctica and space missions suggest that prolonged periods of social and sensory monotony can have a negative impact on human functioning, notably psychosocial health [3][4][5][6][7][8][9], cognition [10,11], poorer emotional regulation, and increased vulnerability to negative emotions [12]. Empirical evidence suggests that these constraints are linked to the passage of time there seems to be specific, critical phases during missions in ICE/EUE [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. ...
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Extreme and unusual, and isolated and confined environments (EUE/ICE) are characterized by unique sensory stimulation. They are known to adversely affect human psychology and physiology, and threaten the outcome of spatial, polar, or submarine missions. This exploratory study evaluates the negative impact of a submarine patrol on the psychological and sensory performances according to heart rate variability (HRV). Nineteen submariners were classified into high parasympathetic activity (HPa) and low parasympathetic activity (LPa) groups using their pre-patrol parasympathetic level. The impacts of the mission on emotional health, interoception and exteroception were evaluated at baseline, twice during the patrol, and once at recovery one month later. Emotional health was assessed using the scale of positive and negative experience (SPANE) questionnaire. Interoception and exteroception were evaluated using other questionnaires and sensorial assessments, respectively. In all cases, no significant inter-group difference was found for emotional health. Exteroceptive and interoceptive functioning was better among the HPa group compared to the LPa group, both during the patrol and at recovery. HRV measures for the HPa group indicated a more adaptable profile, marked by greater cardiac vagal tone during the patrol and at recovery. Our results are the first to highlight the impact of physiological differences in HRV profile on adaptability in an ecological constraint environment. Such research would open perspectives for submariners’ preparation, but also the design of countermeasures that bring us closer to Mars.
... Two groups of interviewees could be distinguished from the present investigation, based upon the final multiple regression model: one that, due to the threat posed by COVID-19 on health and business activities, and despite present and future hardships, accept social restrictions imposed by the government with the goal of decreasing the circulation of SARS-CoV-2; a second group not accepting limitations of liberty under the justification that the current epidemiologic information on COVID-19 is not reliable (Table 4). Likewise, in a review of recent studies, two groups of individual characteristics were identified in relation to their attitude/compliance with public health measures against the spread of COVID-19 (Vanhove et al., 2015;Moran et al., 2021): ...
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Background: During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (April to May 2020), 6,169 Polish and 939 Italian residents were surveyed with an online questionnaire investigating socio-demographic information and personality traits (first section) as well as attitudes, position, and efficacy perceptions on the impact of lockdown (second section) and various health protection measures enforced (third section). Methods: The “health protection attitude score” (HPAS), an endpoint obtained by pooling up the answers to questions of the third section of the survey tool, was investigated by multiple linear regression models, reporting regression coefficients (RC) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Concerns for business and health due to COVID-19 were associated with a positive attitude toward risk reduction rules. By contrast, male sex, concerns about the reliability of information available online on COVID-19 and its prevention, along with the feeling of not being enough informed on the transmissibility/prevention of SARS-CoV-2 were associated with a negative attitude toward risk mitigation measures. Discussion: A recent literature review identified two social patterns with different features in relation to their attitude toward health protection rules against the spread of COVID-19. Factors positively associated with adherence to public health guidelines were perceived threat of COVID-19, trust in government, female sex, and increasing age. Factors associated with decreased compliance were instead underestimation of the COVID-19 risk, limited knowledge of the pandemic, belief in conspiracy theories, and political conservativism. Very few studies have tested interventions to change attitudes or behaviors. Conclusion: To improve attitude and compliance toward risk reduction norms, a key intervention is fostering education and knowledge on COVID-19 health risk and prevention among the general population. However, information on COVID-19 epidemiology might be user-generated and contaminated by social media, which contributed to creating an infodemic around the disease. To prevent the negative impact of social media and to increase adherence to health protection, stronger content control by providers of social platforms is recommended.
... The term quarantine was used in Venice in the year 1127 to describe the act of isolating people to control pests and prevent diseases such as leprosy, the Black Death, and others (Banerjee & Sathyanarayana, 2020;Newman, 2012). Today the term confinement is generally used instead of quarantine and has been studied in prison contexts (Comfort, Grinstead, McCartney, Bourgois, & Knight, 2005), former prisoners of war (Grassian, 2006), and space travel (Herian & Desimone, 2014), among others. Studies have reported that periods of boredom and monotony are likely to be experienced during confinement due to a lack of social and environmental stimulation (Weiss & Moser, 1998), as well as feelings of depression and anxiety (Günther-Bel, Vilaregut, Carratala, Torras-Garat, & Pérez-Testor, 2020). ...
... Confinement has long-term adverse effects on personality changes and family relationships (Herian & Desimone, 2014). A study investigating social isolation reported that it can exacerbate domestic violence and boredom (Banerjee & Rai, 2020). ...
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This study examined dyadic adjustment, which is an essential aspect for a couple’s functioning, and its relationship with sexual self-esteem during COVID-19 confinement. This article presents data from before and during the confinement due to COVID-19 in Spain. 120 men and 89 women who were part of a couple at the time of confinement and completed an online survey participated in the study. The sample was obtained during the de-escalation months, from May 9th until July 1st, 2020. Three questionnaires were administered. The results that were obtained from the T-student, Pearson correlations and regression analyses show a decline in couples’ adjustment during the months of confinement. Regarding the Sexuality Scale, the results showed that the sexual-depression subscale and the sexual self-esteem subscale had a statistically significant role in predicting the dyadic adjustment during confinement. Overall, our findings suggest that confinement had a negative effect on sexuality because the sexual-depression of the sample increased and couple adjustment decreased during the confinement due to COVID-19.
... that the constraints inherent in ICE and EUE can upset the balance between the demands of the environment, and the resources mobilized by individuals, leading to changes in the individual-environment relationship and stress disorders (Vanhove et al., 2015). As Rivolier (1992, p2) indicated, with respect to the extreme nature of certain situations, "the individual is placed in circumstances with intense emotional potential or requiring an adaptive response, an adjustment, which he experiences as beyond his means." ...
... Therefore, it is relevant to ask, what individual characteristics predict successful adaptation and performance in an ICE/EUE, especially long-term missions. The literature highlights, in conjunction with changes in environmental sensory stimuli, emotional and mood disorders (Brasher et al., 2010;Palinkas et al., 2007), attentional and cognitive difficulties (Palinkas et al., 1997), and social problems (Palinkas et al., 2004) that underlie maladaptive stress responses (Vanhove et al., 2015). These disorders appear during the mission, in individuals who have no apparent prior health concerns. ...
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Objectives The subsurface ballistic missile nuclear submarine (SSBN) is an extreme professional environment in which personnel are both isolated and confined during patrols, which can last longer than 2 months. This environment is known to degrade submariners’ mood and cognition.Methods This exploratory, empirical study followed a cohort of 24 volunteer submariners. Dispositional mindfulness was assessed with the Freiburg Mindfulness Inventory, in order to identify two groups (mindful and non-mindful) and compare change in emotional state, interoception, and health behaviors during the patrol.ResultsOverall, psychological health deteriorated during the patrol. However, mindful submariners demonstrated better psychological adaptation and interoception than the non-mindful group. This was associated with better subjective health behaviors (sleeping and eating).Conclusions Dispositional mindfulness appears to protect against the negative effects of long-term containment in a professional environment, such as a submarine patrol. Our work highlights that mindfulness may help individuals to cope with stress in such situations. Developing mindfulness could also be an important preventive healthcare measure during quarantine imposed by the outbreak of a serious infectious disease.
... There is empirical evidence of the existence of specific critical phases during missions in ICE/EUE environments. Time itself would be a source of stress, the intensity of which would vary among stages during the mission [39]- [44]. The cycling pattern associated with the operational constraints are related to the winter-over syndrome [45]. ...
Conference Paper
Isolated, and confined environments (ICE) present several challenges which may adversely affect human’s psychology and physiology. Submariners in Sub-Surface Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) mission exposed to these environmental constraints must be able to perform complex tasks as part of their normal duties, as well as during crisis periods when emergency actions are required or imminent. The operational and environmental constraints they face contribute to challenge human adaptability. The related adverse effects on the human body need to be explored and defined as they have a large impact on a mission’s success. This study focused on the evaluation of the impact of stress on mental health and sensory degradation of submariners during a mission on SSBN using cardiac biosignal (heart rate variability, HRV) clustering. This is a pragmatic exploratory study of a prospective cohort included 19 submariner volunteers. HRV was recorded at baseline to classify by clustering the submariners according to their stress level based on parasympathetic (Pa) activity. Impacts of high Pa (HPa) versus low Pa (LPa) level at baseline were assessed on emotional state and sensory perception (interoception and exteroception) as a cardiac biosignal during the patrol and at a recovery time one month after. Whatever the time, no significant difference was found in mental health between groups. There are significant differences in the interoceptive, exteroceptive and physiological functioning during the patrol and at recovery time. To sum up, compared to the LPa group, the HPa maintains a higher level in psychosensory functioning during the patrol and at recovery but exhibits a decrease in Pa level. The HPa group has less adaptable HRV characteristics, less unpredictability and flexibility of cardiac biosignals while the LPa group increase them during the patrol and at recovery time. This dissociation between psychosensory and physiological adaptation suggests two treatment modalities for ICE environments. Our results are the first to highlight the impact of physiological differences in the HRV profile on the adaptability of submariners. Further studies are needed to evaluate the negative emotional and cognitive effects of ICEs based on the cardiac profile. Artificial intelligence offers a promising future for maintaining high level of operational conditions. This future work will not only allow submariners to be better prepared, but also to design feasible countermeasures that will help support analog environments that bring us closer to a trip to Mars.
... There is empirical evidence of the existence of specific critical phases during missions in ICE/EUE environments. Time itself would be a source of stress, the intensity of which would vary among stages during the mission [39]- [44]. The cycling pattern associated with the operational constraints are related to the winter-over syndrome [45]. ...
... People who struggle most with confinement are those with high scores of neuroticism (low resilience to stress) and low scores in conscientiousness and agreeableness (which broadly correlate with interpersonal living and conflict resolution skills). 19 Highly extroverted or introverted individuals are also likely to struggle, the former because of insufficient external social contact, and the latter because of overwhelming contact within the home. In any group living situation, the specific mix of personality traits results in a unique combination that may predispose to conflict or be protective. ...
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the stark reality of city lockdowns, mass quarantines and social isolation worldwide. The importance of social isolation and quarantine measures to reduce community transmission of COVID-19 must be balanced against the potential impact on the psychological health of the population. Objective: The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the psychological and social impacts of human isolation, how these may present and approaches to identifying and mitigating these effects. Discussion: Quarantine has been associated with increased rates of suicide, anger, acute stress disorder, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, with symptoms continuing even years after quarantine ends. There are several predisposing risk factors including the inhabited environment, unique aspects of assessment as well as phenomena seen specifically among groups facing isolation together. The article provides management strategies for the general practitioner as well as indicators for referral to further psychological supports.
... However, core aspects of the constructs appear to be highly relevant to the psychological health and performance of the personnel (e.g., resiliency). As suggested in a recent NASA study on psychosocial well-being in isolated and confined environments [46] short-duration analog missions might effectively be used to understand temporal trends in well-being during long duration missions. ...
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As space missions move from low-earth orbit operations to long duration exploration, the mission's crews will face a different set of experiences and stressors. In order to help prevent the development of cognitive or behavioral symptoms during these missions it is important to define preventative countermeasures. Recent evidence points to mindfulness and relaxation techniques as promising countermeasures for promoting cognitive and behavioral health. We conducted a narrative review of the scientific literature to identify key factors relevant to the role of mindfulness and relaxation techniques in the military and other analog settings, which share some important similarities with the space exploration context. Our results indicate that cognitive (non-meditative) mindfulness is an important psychological construct that can help to promote resilience and to reduce stress in analog environments and particularly in the military. While the literature suggests that mindfulness can be promoted through focused interventions, most of the studied interventions to date are based on meditation. While efficacious, meditation-based interventions generally require a significant amount of time for training. Alternative mindfulness approaches have not yet been explored in these settings but have yielded potentially relevant results for space. Relaxation training is a helpful tool to manage stress and to reduce anxiety. In the military, relaxation techniques are sometimes integrated into psychological training before deployment, leading to improved performance and reduced negative emotions. Even with a lack of specific literature about the application of these concepts in space, literature that describes the experiences from analog environments and military contexts as well as other studies on challenging conditions, suggest further exploration of interventions in these areas.