2025, Volume 31, Issue 2
THE IMPACT OF JET LAG ON THE EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONS OF CABIN CREW
ALEKSANDRA MAZUR1, BEATA DANILUK2
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1Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin
2Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin
Autor korenspondencyjny: ALEKSANDRA MAZUR; Doctoral School of Social Sciences, Institute of Psychology, Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin; email: aleksandra.mazur1@onet.pl
Streszczenie
Introduction: Introduction: Executive functions play an important role in everyday human functioning, and in the case of cabin crew they are of particular significance in the workplace due to the nature of the duties performed. Shift work, typical of flight attendants, can lead to disruptions in the circadian rhythm. Crossing time zones, in turn, can trigger jet lag, defined as rapid time zone change syndrome, which negatively affects cognitive abilities, including executive functions. The aim of the study was to determine the status of selected executive functions in cabin crew members experiencing jet lag symptoms.
Methods: The study included 20 employees of Polish Airlines LOT. The group of flight attendants consisted of 12 women and 8 men, aged 20 to 35 years (M=26.7, SD=4.05). The study was quasi-experimental in design with repeated measurement and was conducted in two stages, with a three-month interval. It employed tools for assessing various aspects of executive functions: the Tower of London Test (ToL-2), the Digit Span Test (forward and backward), the Trail Making Test (TMT), and an experimental version of the Stroop Color and Word Interference Test (SCWIT). For within-group analyses (test–retest), Student's t-test for dependent samples and its non-parametric equivalent — the Wilcoxon signed-rank test — were used. Effect size was assessed using Cohen's d and the biserial correlation coefficient rc.
Results: The results obtained demonstrated a decline in selected aspects of executive functions occurring during the experience of jet lag symptoms. With regard to planning indicators, a greater number of moves in the ToL-2 test was observed (p<0.001; d=1.3), as well as a longer task completion time (p=0.003; d=0.7). In the SCWIT task, which enables assessment of susceptibility to interference, completion time also increased (p=0.002; d=0.73), as did the number of errors (p<0.001; d=0.72). With regard to working memory, a reduction in the number of elements in forward recall sequences (p=0.028; d=0.46) as well as backward recall sequences (p=0.004; rc=0.64) was found. In the TMT, completion time increased for both parts (TMT-A p=0.003; d=0.69 and TMT-B p=0.003; d=0.7), and the number of errors also increased (TMT-A p=0.046; rc=0.45 and TMT-B p=0.003; rc=0.66).
Discussion and Conclusions: The results obtained may serve as a basis for developing strategies to minimize the negative effects of jet lag, which may translate into greater safety and effectiveness of cabin crew work. Jet lag significantly affects cognitive functions, and its course depends on both individual and environmental factors. Our observations are consistent with earlier reports and confirm the need for further research in this area.
Słowa kluczowe
circadian rhythm disorders, cognitive functions, cabin crew, sleep disorders, rapid time zone change syndrome