2006 Novemmber, 25 th Carmen Prenn

1. Effects of Individual Critical Situations on psychological and biochemicalVariables in Air Traffic Controllers 2006 Novemmber, 25th Carmen Prenn

2. Aims of the study • Do Individual Critical Situation(s) affect cortisol gradient parameters during the workday? • Is there a difference in subjective parameters depending on the occurrence of Individual Critical Situation(s) during the workday? • Do cortisol gradient parameters reflect recovery during the subsequent 3 days after the occurrence of Individual Critical Situation(s) ?

3. Individual Critical Situation (ICS) Rating (Kallus, Hoffmann, Prenn, Winkler, Kohlberger, 2005)

4. Design for biochemical variable cortisol t x 1… awakening value t x 2…morning value (6:30 – 7:00) t x 3…noon value (11:30 – 12:30) t x 4…afternoon value (15:00 – 16:00) t x 5…evening value (18:00 – 19:00) t x 6…night value (21:30 – 22:30)

5. Design for psychological variables

7. Test procedure - DAY 1 at home t1 cortisol awakening value demographical data questionnaire MKSL BSKE before work ~ 30 min start of shift t2 cortisol morning value 6:30 – 7:00 t3 cortisol noon value 11:30 – 12:30 t4 cortisol afternoon value 15:00 – 16:00 t5 cortisol evening value 18:00 – 19:00 t6 cortisol night value 21:30 – 22:30 time end of shift Individual Critical Situation (ICS) Rating MKSL BSKE after work ~ 30 min

8. Results salivary cortisol concentrations DAY 1

9. Results salivary cortisol concentrations DAY 1

10. Cortisol concentrations on DAY 2 to 4 after Individual Critical Situation

11. Salivary cortisol concentrations on 4 subsequent days

12. Results BSKE (mood state)

13. Results BSKE (mood state) • Individual differences in mood state are evidently important factors • Reduced performance related activation in group with ICS • Increased general disactivation before work in group with ICS • Increased physical discomfort after work in group with ICS

14. Results MKSL (physical condition)

15. Results MKSL (physical condition) Individual differences in physical condition are evidently important factors • More intense palpitation of the heart in group with ICS • Increased subjective feeling of nausea after work in group with ICS • Increased subjective perception of having difficulties to breath before work in group with ICS

16. Summary and Interpretation • Controllers with Individual Critical Situation(s) show increased salivary cortisol levels on all six sampling points during the day • The circadian rhythm of cortisol secretion is reproduced and represented by a peak in morning values and a continuous decrease until night value • A statistically significant increase in salivary cortisol is reflected in the morning values (6:30 to 7:00) by persons with Individual Critical Situation(s)

17. Summary and Interpretation • Elevated salivary cortisol concentrations before work reflect a probability increase to experience Individual Critical Situation(s) on that work day • Maybe controllers show a stress reaction in advance based on their experience because they anticipate stressful traffic conditions

18. Summary and Interpretation • On the following 3 days after Individual Critical Situation(s) the awakening values are increased and reflect incomplete recovery

19. Cortisol of air traffic controllersbefore and after a major organisational change

20. Thank you for your attention!