Cultural differences in patterns of mood states on board the International Space Station

Based on our previous studies of astronauts and cosmonauts, we hypothesized that the patterning of mood states among International Space Station (ISS) crewmembers would vary by culture, regardless of the overall frequency of these states in each cultural group. Russian clinicians recognize a pattern of distress known as asthenia. According to the asthenia model, depression should covary with fatigue. According to the American model of psychological distress, depression and fatigue are two separate syndromes and therefore would be less likely to covary within individuals. Previously, we found support for this cultural difference in patterns of mood states in two data sets. Our team's new study of ISS personnel provided an opportunity to replicate these analyses again. Results show the predicted cultural differences for crewmembers during flight. These results are consistent with Russian space psychologists’ concept of asthenization, which is believed to be an early indicator of stress among cosmonauts during long-duration space missions. However, American astronauts manifest distress differently. It is important to use culturally appropriate assessment strategies in order to detect stress reactions accurately while they are still mild, because they have the potential to seriously disrupt future international space missions, such as a flight to Mars. Russian Abstract КУЛTУPAЛЬHЫE PAЗЛИХИЯ ПPOФИЛEЙ HACTPOEHИЙ HA БOPTУ MКC Ha бaзe нaщиx пpeдыдyщиx иccлeдoвaний кocмoнaвтoв и acтpoнaвтoв, мы пpeдcтaвили гипoтнзy o тoм; чтo пpoфили нacтpoeний cpeди члeнoв экипaжa Meждyнapoднoй Кocмичecкoй Cтaнции (MКC) paзличны в paзныx кyльтypax, нecмoтpя нa aбcoлютнoe кoличecтвo этиx cocтoяний в кaждoй гpyппe. Poccийcкиe cпeциaлиcты coзнaют cиндpoм диcкoмфopтa нaзывaeмый ⪡ acтeния ⪢ . Cлeдyя мoдeли acтeнии, дeпpeccия дoлжнa кoppeлиpoвaть c ycтaлocтью. Cлeдyя aмepикaнcкoй мoдeли пcиxoлoгичecкoгo диcкoмфopтa, дeпpeccия и ycтaлocть–этo двa oтдeльныx cиндpoмa, и пoэтoмy oни мeнee вepoятнo cвязaны дpyг c дpyгoм cpeди индивидyyмoв. Пo итoгaм нaшиx двyx пpeдыдyщиx иccлeдoвaний мы нaшли пoдтвepждeниe тoгo, чтo cyщecтвyют этo кyльтypaльнoe paзличиe в пpoфиляx нacтpoeний. Hoвoe иccлeдoвaниe coтpyдникoв MКC, кoтopoe пpoвeлa нaшa кoмaндa, дaлo нaм вoзмoжнocть пoдтвepдить эти aнaлизы eщë paз. Peзyльтaты пoкaзывaют пpeдcкaзaнныe кyлтypaльныe paзличия cpeди члeнoв экипaжa в пoлëтe. Эти peзyльтaты coглacyютcя c кoнцeпциeй acтeнизaции poccийcкиx кocмичecкиx пcиxoлoгoв, кoтopaя пpeдcтaвляeтcя вa