2015, Volume 21, Issue 4

Resilience in the Process of Coping with Traumatic Situations among Pilots in the Missions Overseas

Małgorzata KOWALCZYK¹, Agata ORZECHOWSKA¹, Monika TALAROWSKA¹, Krzysztof ZBORALSKI¹, Marian MACANDER², Olaf E. TRUSZCZYŃSKI³, Piotr GAŁECKI¹
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¹Department of Adult Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz
²Department of Flight Safety, Military Institute of Aviation Medicine
³Military Institute of Aviation Medicine


Autor korenspondencyjny: Małgorzata KOWALCZYK; Department of Adult Psychiatry, Medical University of Lodz; email: malgorzata.kowalczyk[at]umed.lodz.pl

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Streszczenie

Introduction: Resilience is a set of personality traits and abilities that enable coping with difficult situations as well as with the stress associated with them. The aim of this study was to characterize the resilience personality traits and their relationship to stress and coping
strategies in pilots taking part in overseas missions.

Method: The study was conducted in 123 pilots and 113 anti-terrorists who had previously taken part in overseas missions. Participants were assessed psychologically with the use of
three questionnaires measuring perceived stress, strategies of coping with stress and
resilience personality traits. The assessment was performed before as well as during
missions.

Results: Soldiers who are characterized by the resilience personality traits tend to use rational strategies of solving difficult and stressful situations rather than strategies of avoidance or those oriented on emotions. Moreover, the same soldiers tend to experience significantly less stress.

Discussion: The results can have a signifi cant infl uence on the process of pre-selection of pilots for overseas missions as well as on the methods of stress monitoring during performance of such missions.

Conclusion: Our research can help elucidate mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of stress as well as psychological components of successful coping in stressful situations.

Słowa kluczowe

resilience personality, stress, styles of coping with stress