Coping Strategies and Mood during Cold Weather Training

Adverse emotional reactions are a recognized problem in cold weather operations. The present study tested the hypothesis that these reactions are related to coping strategies employed in the cold. The coping strategies and emotional status of men going through winter cold weather training were compared to those of men going through summer mountain warfare training. The men going through cold weather training reported higher levels of depressed mood, anger, and anxiety and lower levels of happiness and activity. These men also reported more frequent thoughts about other times and places as a means of coping. Coping strategies were moderately strong predictors of mood during both the winter and summer training programs, and analyses of covariance controlling for the group differences in coping by escapist thinking showed that this difference could account for the observed group differences in mood. The study confirmed that coping strategies are related to adverse emotional reactions in cold weather settings. Additional research to identify the specific factors in cold weather training that elicit maladaptive coping could help develop programs to foster positive coping.