
Gloria R LeonUniversity of Minnesota | UMN · Department of Psychology
Gloria R Leon
PhD
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178
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Introduction
Publications
Publications (178)
Introduction: This case study was designed as an analog for aspects of NASA’s planned Artemis missions to the lunar surface. The specific aims were to examine emerged mission challenges and dyadic affective and process dynamics over the course of a three-month lunar habitat analog Arctic mission.
Methods: Participants were two men who also had key...
Psychological adaptation in isolated, confined, and extreme environments plays an important role in the achievement of performance and wellbeing. Whereas empirical research has been fruitful in determining the antecedents of psychological adaptation, opportunities remain to identify and apply new constructs through which psychological adaptation ca...
BACKGROUND: Maintaining psychologically adaptive relationships among team members operating in an isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environment for an extended period continues to be a challenge, with relevance for long-duration missions to the Moon and beyond.METHODS: Two male architects were studied who lived and worked over a 60-d period in...
This chapter reviews the current “state of the art” and considers new countermeasures for preventing or reducing the likelihood of psychological problems and supporting psychological resilience among crewmembers during long-duration space missions. Here emphasis will be put on effective astronaut selection, crew composition, training, and support o...
Introduction:
There are very few studies of all-women teams performing in highly challenging isolated, confined, and extreme environments.
Objective:
To evaluate individual stressors, coping methods, and team functioning over an extended highly challenging trek.
Methods:
Subjects in this study were six British military officers who successfully t...
In Memoriam Victor Semyonovich Koscheyev It is with great sadness that we note the passing of our long time WADEM colleague and friend Victor Semyonovich Koscheyev in November 2018 in Minneapolis Minnesota, having bravely battled a neuromuscular disorder for many years. Professor Koscheyev was the primary organizer of the WADEM CBRNE task force, an...
BACKGROUND: While participation of women in the military has increased, research on performance of female teams engaged in arduous physical activity in isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) environments remains sparse.METHODS: A team of six British military women completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire-Brief Form, Triarchic Psychop...
Background:
The study of personality traits, personal values, and the emergence of conflicts within groups performing in an isolated, confined, and extreme environment (ICE) may provide insights helpful for the composition and support of space crews for long duration missions.
Methods:
Studied pre/post and over the 2-yr period of the investigati...
29 Land-based extreme environments (e.g. polar expeditions, Antarctic research stations, confinement chambers) 30 have often been used as analog settings for spaceflight. These settings share similarities with the conditions 31 experienced during space missions, including confinement, isolation and limited possibilities for evacuation. To 32 determ...
Purpose:
Children undergoing operative intervention while induced under general anesthesia are at risk for experiencing a significant decrease in core body temperature that can lead to adverse systemic effects. Given that the head contributes an estimated 18% of a child's body surface area, we theorized that a liquid-warming garment applied to the...
Land-based extreme environments (e.g. polar expeditions, Antarctic research stations, confinement
chambers) have often been used as analogue settings for spaceflight. These settings share similarities with
conditions experienced during space missions, including confinement, isolation and limited possibilities for
evacuation. To understand the utili...
Assessment of the influence of personality and decision processes on the performance of two-person expedition teams has application for the composition of small teams for planetary exploration and potentially responding to off-nominal situations.
We studied a two-man Special Forces team with a goal of reaching the North Pole in the shortest amount...
Venables, N. C. (2015). The psychological process of reintegration following a nine month/260 day solo sailboat circumnavigation of the globe. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology. The focus of this case report is on the psychological reintegration process following the achievement of a highly challenging long-duration and solitary endeavor. The part...
The history is described of the development of protective spacesuits through parallel efforts of the USA and USSR/Russia space programs. The application of physiological design principles to develop a shortened more energy-efficient liquid cooling/warming garment component of the spacesuit, finger calorimeter, and improved space glove is presented....
Abstract This article is part of a larger body of work entitled, "The Impact of Sex and Gender on Adaptation to Space." It was developed in response to a recommendation from the 2011 National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey, "Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences for a New Era," which emphasized the need to fully...
This case study assessed the psychological strengths and stability of attitudes
and values of a 29-year-old male who successfully completed a 260-day solo
sailboat circumnavigation of the globe. Personality findings indicated positive
psychological functioning; high scores on traits of boldness, agreeableness,
and openness; and mid-range on extrave...
The aim of this study was to obtain a better understanding of the personal experiences and interpersonal factors that influence the performance of small military teams deployed in an extreme and isolated environment for an extended period of time. Twelve members of the Danish Sirius Patrol operating in Greenland in 6 two-person teams were evaluated...
This chapter considers countermeasures for preventing or reducing the likelihood of psychological problems among crew members during long-duration space missions with focus on effective astronaut selection, crew composition, training, and support of multicultural crews on long-duration missions. Historic differences among national space agencies in...
Introduction:
Social and political instability have become common situations in many parts of the world. Exposure to different types of traumatic circumstances may differentially affect psychological status.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to compare the relationship between personal perceptions of control over the events happening in one's...
This longitudinal study assessed personality traits, personal values and personal growth of six two-man Danish military Sirius Patrol teams. The NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO PI-R) findings indicated a psychologically adapted group, consistent with the elevation on the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM) Boldness factor. Self-direction,...
The objective of this chapter is twofold: (a) to review the current knowledge of cultural, psychological, psychiatric, cognitive, interpersonal, and organizational issues that are relevant to the behavior and performance of astronaut crews and ground support personnel and (b) to make recommendations for future human space missions, including both t...
An overview of the physical, psychological, social, and coping aspects of living and working in polar regions is presented, assessing findings from both expedition teams and work groups. A personal narrative describing the experiences of a polar expeditioner is interspersed in relevant sections to provide a deeper understanding of the challenges of...
This study assessed personal values and positive growth experiences, possible changes in these factors, and interpersonal functioning in a two-man expedition team that successfully reached the North Pole in 55 days without outside support. Personality measures were administered before expedition, weekly rating forms were completed on the ice, and s...
Background On March 11, 2011, a Richter Magnitude 9.0 earthquake occurred in the ocean along a seismically-active tectonic plate boundary 120 km east of Japan's main island, Honshu. The earthquake launched a tsunami of immense magnitude, surging toward the Japanese coastline with limited time to warn coastal residents. As the tsunami crashed ashore...
Major disasters disrupt the infrastructure of communities and have lasting psychological, economic, and environmental effects on the affected areas. The psychological status and community effects of the devastating 2007 wildfires on the Peloponnese Peninsula of Greece were assessed six months following the disaster.
Adult inhabitants, 18-65 years o...
The first meeting of the Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP) Standing Review Panel (SRP) was held in Houston, TX on November 1-3, 2009. Our task was to assess the Integrated Research Plan (IRP) related to the fields covered in the SRP charge (see section VIII). Having considered and discussed the extensive materials distributed prior to the mee...
The subjective aspects of comfort in three different cooling garments, the MACS-Delphi, Russian Orlan, and LCVG were evaluated. Six subjects (4 males and 2 females) were tested in separate sessions in each garment and in one of two environmental chamber conditions: 24°C and 35°C. Subjects followed a staged exercise/rest protocol with different leve...
The objective of this paper is twofold: (a) to review the current knowledge of cultural, psychological, psychiatric, cognitive, interpersonal, and organizational issues that are relevant to the behavior and performance of astronaut crews and ground support personnel and (b) to make recommendations for future human space missions, including both tra...
Subjective thermal perception in stable and dynamic environments has been measured primarily by categorical rating scales. At present, there is an increasing use of visual analog scales (VAS) to assess whole body and body region thermal perceptions in laboratory and other thermal environments.
The rationale behind the use of VAS is that individuals...
A trade study was conducted with a goal to develop relatively high TRL design concepts for an Exploration Cooling Garment (ExCG) that can accommodate larger metabolic loads and maintain physiological limits of the crewmembers health and work efficiency during all phases of exploration missions without hindering mobility. Effective personal cooling...
A series of demonstration studies were conducted with the aim of better understanding how to regulate body heat and thus enhance thermal comfort of astronauts during EVA requiring intensive physical exertion. The first study evaluated body zone heat transfer under different cooling temperatures in a liquid cooling garment (LCG), confirming the effe...
Human thermoregulatory research is fraught with multifaceted physiological issues. A notable quandary is the fact that the human body has several different types of tissues, each with unique heat transfer/conductive properties. The primary goal of our research is to determine how to effectively and appropriately regulate human thermal physiology in...
During EVA and other extreme environments, mutual human support is sometimes the last way to survive when there is a failure of the life support equipment. The possibility to transfer a coolant to remove heat or a warming fluid to increase heat from one individual to another to support the thermal balance of the individual with system failure was a...
Two men engaged in a kayak/sled Arctic expedition and their wives were evaluated. This report focuses on personality factors and decisions on the ice, psychosocial effects on those left behind, and the family re-integration process.
Pre-expedition measures included the Multidimensional Personality Inventory (MPQ) and the Personal Assessment of Inti...
Although specialists have attempted to improve the space suit to provide better protection in open space or on planetary surfaces, there has been a relative lack of attention to features of human thermoregulatory processes that influence comfort and therefore have an impact on the effectiveness of protective equipment. Our findings showed that diff...
We describe our past and current program of research focused on the application of physiological principles of heat transfer to advance the effectiveness of space suits currently used by astronauts and for future lunar or Mars missions. The output of these investigations is as follows: 1) a physiologically based more lightweight shortened liquid co...
Introduction Human thermoregulation during EVA remains a challenge. The establishment of a high correlation between the thermal status of the fingers and the heat surplus/deficit in the body provides an index with potential to more effectively monitor and control the astronaut's thermal status. This series of studies evaluated the changes in finger...
In the Path of Disasters: Psychosocial Issues for Preparedness, Response, and Recovery: Commentary - Volume 21 Issue 3 - Gloria R. Leon
The designation of a simple, non-invasive, and highly precise method to monitor the thermal status of astronauts is important to enhance safety during extravehicular activities (EVA) and onboard emergencies. Finger temperature (Tfing), finger heat flux, and indices of core temperature (Tc) [rectal (Tre), ear canal (Tec)] were assessed in 3 studies...
Identification of noninvasive and informative sites on the body reflecting the development of body thermal imbalance during extravehicular activities (EVAs) is highly important for enhancing astronaut safety. Temperature changes were evaluated on several areas of the head (the mastoid fossa (Tmf), the forehead (Tfo), and the cheek (Tch)) and on the...
Maintaining hand comfort in the cold while sustaining optimal performance is still a challenge. There has been little research on the efficacy of transporting biological heat from the head to the hands to stabilize finger comfort, although there are notable temperature differences between these two areas in the cold.
A tubing bypass between the hea...
Introduction: There are contradictory opinions regarding the contribution of local hand thermal insulation to support local and total comfort during extravehicular activity (EVA). Instead of a local correction by means of thermal insulation on the periphery of the body to prevent heat dissipation, it may be optimal to prevent heat dissipation from...
The influence of gender on the social context in which work performance takes place is considered. Women in single and mixed-gender polar expedition groups reported concern for the welfare of a teammate as a significant stressor. All-male teams exhibited higher levels of competitiveness and a lesser tendency to talk about their feelings. Excerpts f...
The influence of gender on the social context in which work performance takes place is considered. Women in single and mixed-gender polar expedition groups reported concern for the welfare of a teammate as a significant stressor. All-male teams exhibited higher levels of competitiveness and a lesser tendency to talk about their feelings. Excerpts f...
Long-duration spaceflight results in deconditioning of the cardiovascular system, loss of fluid volume, bone demineralization, and atrophy of skeletal muscles, particularly affecting the lower limbs. We hypothesized that it is possible to improve blood circulation to the lower extremities in simulated microgravity by forcing the blood to deliver he...
The shortened liquid cooling/warming garment (SLCWG) developed by the University of Minnesota group was compared with the standard NASA liquid cooling/ventilating garment (LCVG) garment during physical exertion in comfort (24°C) and hot (35°C) chamber environments. In both environmental conditions, the SLCWG was just as effective as the LCVG in mai...
Three participants, a male leader and a married couple, carried out a 46-day expedition in the Canadian High Arctic, retracing the exploratory route followed by Otto Sverdrup 100 years earlier. The group departed from an ice-locked boat in the Arctic, at which site they had lived andworked together for a 9-month period. Participants completed a Wee...
This investigation assessed an international two-woman team engaged in a 97-day traverse of Antarctica. Measures consisted of preexpedition personality assessments; expedition weekly ratings of individual and team status and work performance; postexpedition semistructured interview. Both participants scored relatively highest on the Multidimensiona...
In the immediate aftermath of disasters and terrorism, it is critical to rapidly respond to the physical/medical needs of survivors to reduce injuries and the loss of life. Consistent with these situational demands, the description of such events is usually in terms of the resulting number of casualties and physical injuries sustained, with little...
The psychosocial sequelae can be intense and of long duration in the aftermath of natural and technological disasters, as well as terrorist attacks. Post-traumatic stress symptoms and full syndrome disorder, depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and excessive alcohol use have been demonstrated consistently, particularly following large-scale dis...
The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different cooling regime intensities to maintain physiological and subjective comfort during physical exertion levels comparable to that engaged in during extravehicular activities (EVA) in space. We studied eight subjects (six males, two females) donned in our newly developed physiologicall...
Expedition teams provide a number of analogs relevant to crew selection for long-duration space missions. Three groups were studied that varied in team composition. Group I was a two woman international dyad that traversed the Antarctic continent in 97 days. Similarities in problem solving approach, respect for each other's opinions, and a collabor...
Expedition teams provide a number of analogs relevant to crew selection for long-duration space missions. Three groups were studied that varied in team composition. Group 1 was a two woman international dyad that traversed the Antarctic continent in 97 days. Similarities in problem solving approach, respect for each other's opinions, and a collabor...
The Stage of Alert refers to the time period leading up to a disaster or terrorism event, usually defined by warnings disseminated by the federal government about increased risk of a disaster or terrorism situation. The general consensus was the need for more accurate information from appropriate governmental agencies to the public about specific i...
The development of individualized countermeasures to address problems in thermoregulation is of considerable importance for humans in space and other extreme environments. A methodology is presented for evaluating minimal/maximal heat flux from the total human body and specific body zones, and for assessing individual differences in the efficiency...
This study assessed the intrapersonal and interpersonal functioning of a three-couple expedition group that included a 2 1/2-year-old child which was ice-locked on a boat in the High Arctic during a major portion of the expedition. Personality assessment indicated that team members were generally well adjusted, scoring relatively higher on well-bei...
Comfort management in extreme environments is complex, requiring temperature stabilization of the body core and distal parts of the extremities. Examination of the capability of body zones to absorb and release heat can facilitate a solution to this problem. Using an experimental shortened liquid cooling/warming garment (LCWG), heat transfer effect...
The focus of this research is on the development of a more energy efficient shortened liquid cooling/warming garment (LCWG) based on physiological principles comparing the efficacy of heat transfer of different body zones; the capability of blood to deliver heat; individual muscle and fat body composition as a basis for individual thermal profiles...
A 52-yr-old male scientist who participated in a geophysical survey in Antarctica from a field camp located at 3538 m (11,600 ft) experienced specific symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS) by Mission Day 9, and full syndrome AMS by Mission Day 12. He was treated at the field camp and evacuated to sea level on the next available flight (Mission...
Over the course of the manned space program, there has been an
accumulation of experience on methods to control the thermal status of
astronauts in open space. However, there remains a significant need for
a simple method to monitor the astronaut's level of heat exchange during
EVA, particularly in an emergency period, or during crew escape. The
li...
This study explored the effectiveness of local wrist/palm warming as a potential countermeasure for providing finger comfort during extended duration EVA.
There were six subjects (five males and one female) who were evaluated in a liquid cooling/warming garment (LCWG) wearing modified liquid cooling/warming (LCW) gloves in three different experimen...
Nonuniform heating and cooling of the body, a possibility during extended duration extravehicular activities (EVA), was studied by means of a specially designed water circulating garment that independently heated or cooled the right and left sides of the body. The purpose was to assess whether there was a generalized reaction on the finger in extre...
The Otto Sverdrup Centennial Expedition group consisted of an international team of 6 adults (3 married couples) and one child which spent a year traveling to and living in the Canadian Arctic. The group composition provided a unique analog to some of the speculations about the most appropriate group to select for long-duration Mars planetary habit...
Future activities in space will require greater periods of time in extreme environments in which the body periphery will be vulnerable to chilling. Maintaining the hands and fingers in comfortable conditions enhances finger flexibility and dexterity, and thus effects better work performance. We have evaluated the efficacy of promoting heat transfer...
This summary outlines major themes introduced during a multiple-session symposium series devoted to the topic of work design in the 21 st century. The 6 sessions in the series address the future of work design in relation to: (1) macroergonomic analysis of work systems design; (2) production systems design and automation of work; (3) human actors r...
To assess whether high school athletes are at risk for an eating disorder, whether personality characteristics differentiate athletes from nonathletes, and whether high levels of perfectionism put athletes at risk.
318 high school athletes were randomly matched to 360 nonathletes. Comparisons were made by means of the Eating Disorders Inventory (ED...
Group processes become highly complex with increased crew heterogeneity. The personality traits and attitudes for successful performance during long-duration missions may be different from optimal characteristics demonstrated on short-term flights. It is important to identify the factors predictive of the long-term psychological stability of indivi...
The authors investigated the validity of the representativeness assumption in twin studies of eating pathology by examining whether twins are representative of the general population for eating disorder behavior. Eating disorder behaviors were quantified by a 21-item risk measure in two school-based female adolescent samples:
Findings of a 3- to 4-year prospective investigation of personality, temperament, and behavioral factors predictive of the later development of disordered eating in an adolescent population are presented. The sample consisted of 726 girls and 698 boys who entered the study in grades 7–10 in year 1 or in grade 7 in year 2. Predictors of eating disor...
The potential of controlling human body thermal status through monitoring temperature and heat flux indices of the fingers was evaluated. A cooling/warming suit was used that provided a range of uniform and nonuniform temperature regimes on the body surface. Temperature changes on the skin surface changed body comfort significantly but did not affe...
The authors sought to describe a sample of adolescent males who reported disordered eating, to explore whether males with disordered eating are overweight or obese, and to determine if patterns displayed by females would be replicated with a male sample.
Three school-based adolescent samples were selected. (1) 27 males reporting disordered eating (...
A new methodological tool was developed consisting of a patchwork thermal cool/warm grid with great flexibility to manipulate the temperature on different areas of the body. Through conflicting temperatures on the body surface, it is possible to direct heat current to different distal or proximal areas. The effectiveness of the use of a cooled hood...
This paper examines the considerable medical and psychological problems that ensue after disasters in which massive populations are affected for extended and sometimes unknown time periods. The organization of disaster response teams after large-scale disasters is based on experiences as a medical specialist at Chernobyl immediately after this cata...
First- and second-year findings from a study of the development of disordered eating in pre- and early adolescents are presented. Fifth- and sixth-grade girls (n = 80) and boys (n = 85) were assessed on depression, body image, self-esteem, and eating behaviors and attitudes in Year 1 and again one year later. Weight, height, and pubertal developmen...