Stress - Mindfulness and Anxiety in Aviation

Question: Discuss about the Stress, Mindfulness and Anxiety in Aviation. Answer: Introduction According to Driskell Salas (2013), accidents take place in aviation due to the sequence of mistakes. Stress, lack of concentration and anxiety of the pilot or the aircrew seem to be main reasons behind such accidents. The task that they do is not an easy one. As opined by Leonhardt Vogt (2012), situations may occur where they lose their focus or fail to read the present situation properly resulting into a major accident. According to Wagner et al (2015), sometimes, not the individual but the organization is to be blamed for the lack of systematic scheduling of the task that has stem out of any physical and psychological reason. In such cases, one cannot do anything after the accident had already taken place. Therefore, precaution is needed to prevent it. As discussed by Wagner et al (2015), apart from technological fault, people who lead the journey are the main reason for such accidents. He continued that as soon as the reason of anxiety, stress and lack of concentration is ident ified, necessary measures should be taken. It takes both time and systematic procedure to overcome such psychological barriers. According to vine et al (2015), any physical problem can also be a reason and it should be identified too. In this essay, some accidents will be analyzed to find out the way it occurred. It will help to outline the prevalent cases and the most occurred problem. After discussing the prevalent issues, some solutions will be addressed The effect of stress, anxiety and lack of concentration in aviation According to Archer (2015), human factors play a major role in aviation safety and security. Before one reaches to the solution, it is important to understand how anxiety, stress and lack of concentration cause accidents. As pointed out by Ford et al (2013), for example, due to the improper use of terminology and heavy accents of Dutch KLM crew, an accident occurred in 1977. Reportedly, 583 passengers died in that accident. Again, in 1980, a misunderstanding occurred while giving holding pattern clearance. As a result, the jet collided with a mountain and 146 people died. According to Zhu Ma (2015), in 1990, confusion between the signal minimum fuel and fuel emergency caused an accident. As focused by Kemp et al (2013), one of the striking cases happened in 1993, when a pilot failed to understand the meaning of pull up. One can understand form these examples, that communication barrier is a major problem because communication between the aircrews operates the whole system. However, according to Kaiser (2013), miscommunication is a result of many things. These are as follows: Language Time Other people Distance Distractions Discomfort with the topic Lack of interest Disability Put downs Noise Too many questions According to Driskell et al (2014), communication is a two-way process that involves the sender and the receiver. All the above-mentioned points affect the transfer of the message between the sender and the receiver. Other physical and psychological problems such as stress and fatigue, ambiguity due to anxiety can damage the communication process. As opined by Meland et al (2015), stress is a psychological condition, which is related to the physical condition. Lack of proper sleep and physical exercise can make a person distressed and anxious. It also hampers the mindfulness. Lack of concentration, on the other hand, disrupts clear and logical thinking ultimately damaging the message transfer process and situation awareness. All these physical and psychological issues are interrelated. According to Ursin (2012), clear thinking that leads to decision-making is guided by the emotions. When a person is wrong, he confidently takes wrong decisions. According to Wang et al (2013, October), moreover, stress leads to confusion and discomfort. The mind can come to a point of stagnancy due to this discomfort. Self-development is the only way to solve this problem. Wang et al (2013, October) added an example, in 1994; stress factor resulted into an accident in Pittsburgh. As opined by Powell (2016), an intense level of stress hardens the skill operation. It may be that the person is skilled and had no bad reputation yet under a stressful condition he failed to manage the situation through an application of survival strategies. The pilot receives the threat and under stress, he loses the ability to continue with his high-level performance. Effects of communication barrier at organizational level An effective communication can reduce the confusion within the cockpit and prevent the accident. It can make the pilot or any other aircrew aware about the situation for taking the right decision at the right time. According to Martins (2016), in aviation, English is the standardized language and the common terminologies are in English. It is because aviation is a global business serving the customers worldwide. The organization runs smoothly if the customers are happy and satisfied. As opined by Baker (2013), it demands clarity of thought, politeness, calmness and a good temper. According to Linacre Linacre (2016), stress and anxiety can damage the communication process here. It has an effect at the organizational level because the customers expect a good service from the pilot, customer service agent, cabin crew, pilot, or from an air traffic controller. While transferring the non-verbal messages such as symbols and gestures, the situation is even more complex. The common errors c an be the failure to decode the symbols, misinterpretation of runway designator, misinterpretation of height or attitude, and misinterpretation of clearances including take off, hold positions, landing and hold short. According to Ikusika (2012), any miscommunication between the pilot and the Air Traffic Controller (ATC) is dangerous. As opined by Clay-Williams Colligan (2015), reportedly, ATC- pilot misunderstanding was the reason behind almost 200 cases of accidents previously. Apart from it, the pilot and the cabin crew also need an uninterrupted communication for the smooth workflow. As discussed by Conway et al (2013, September), whereas the psychological barriers have an impact, the physical barriers that affect the communication are the following: Cockpit door allows less face-to-face communication because of the separation Cockpit personnel work in a confined place In spite of the short space, many people interact inside it Other reasons of communication barrier between the pilot and the cabin crew are the following. According to Taylor et al (2014), these factors create hazard at the time of any emergency task. Cultural difference between the pilot and the cabin crew Joint training between the cabin crew and the flight crew is limited Formal and informal interactions between them is restricted by the schedules Communication between them is affected by the stress and anxiety due to the emergency task Communication barriers are present at the organizational level too, i.e. barriers within the organization. As discussed by Leonhardt Vogt (2012), it is due to the difference in objectives for example, the safety versus service. Difference in manuals and training procedures determines the skill and ability of the aircrews and the pilot. As opined by Baker (2013), development of the skill encourages fewer instances of confusion and anxiety. Although the organizational goal remains the maintenance of safety and security, the flight crew and cabin crew have their own separate tasks and they need to fulfill them by exercising both knowledge and attention. According to Archer (2015), whereas, the flight crew is responsible for taking the aircraft safely to the destination, the cabin crew takes care of the safety of the passengers. However, for a systematic and organized workflow both the cabin crew and the flight crew work collaboratively. Thus, safety and security of the aviation is main tained and maximized. Reasons of physical, psychological and physiological stress in aviation According to Ikusika (2012), focusing on aviation sector, some specific reasons for stress can be outlined. These are the following: High temperature inside the cockpit or hanger creates an uncomfortable situation due to perspiration and overheating. Low temperature makes them weak and distressed. Changing air pressure exerts g-force on the body and makes the controlling of the aircraft a difficult task Vibration of the seat makes the reading of navigational chart difficult Anything more than the usual noise level that ranges from 70-80 dB is the reason behind stress and it hampers the concentration level Technical data is difficult to read inside the work area due to poor lightings. Use of torch cannot solve this problem Intense fog makes the visibility difficult. As opined by Meland et al (2015), the psychological barriers include both the personal and work related problems that make an aircrew over-anxious. As a result, it affects the workflow. Apart from it, there are some physiological barriers too. These are as following: Continuation of the work instead of unwell physical condition, especially, in case of a pilot. He fails to concentrate on his job properly due to illness. Insufficient meals in between the journeys can worsen the physical condition Lack of proper sleep creates fatigue. It happens because the pilot is scheduled to perform long hours job The circadian cycle of the body is affected due to conflicting schedules of the shifts. It degrades the performance level Remedies to the situations It is already discussed that stress and anxiety and lead to miscommunication which can hamper the skill and ability of an individual in aviation. How it affects at the organizational level is also detailed. Now, the possible solutions for the identified problems will be recommended. According to Wagner et al (2015), for the purpose of stress management, Cognitive Resilience can be a useful tool. Psychological stress is linked to physical stress. Vine et al (2015) opined that one could measure the stress level and the ability for maintaining situational awareness through CR. It is important for an aircrew to understand how much he is cognitively fit. According to Clay-Williams Colligan (2015), consultation with the therapist is necessary in case of setting the soft benchmark to measure CR and for the hard benchmark one should go to endocrinologist. According to Ikusika (2012), hard benchmark helps to evaluate the fitness associated to stress management. Experiential learning, which i ncludes time-limited back counting, exercise, and checking of the heart rate develop skill. According to, stress management involves a set of skills. Meland et al (2015) opined that hard benchmark becomes soft benchmark as time passes. Meland et al (2015) added that kill development through stress management develops the understanding level. Stress is first a physical condition and then a psychological one. Therefore, it is important to reduce the physical stress. It can be done through the following: Proper 8 hours sleep per day is necessary. If it is inadequate, one should extend the time of sleeping on the other days. According to Zhu Ma, (2015), a proper and comfortable sleep, which includes Melatonin cycle, i.e. fade in and fade out of light, increases the level of clear thinking. Systematic physical exercise relaxes the body and encourages comfortable sleep that ultimately removes stress Development of concentration level through practice increases ability of situation awareness. It is the cognitive fitness, which enables one to take good decisions. However, this cognitive fitness should be maintained. However, Clay-Williams Colligan (2015), discussed that airmanship should involve the following: Critical thinking Threat and Error Management Operational Mindfulness Decision making Situational Awareness As opined by Ursin (2012), mindfulness can be developed through the following: Experiential training Training of the mind to develop unbiased judgment Development of awareness control To understand the mindfulness, the aircrews should engage in a critical analysis of the situation that they go through if they are unable to make out the problem. According to Meland et al (2015), introspection should include the following questions: How is the problem connected to my task? Do I have adequate and proper information associated to the task? Where should I focus more? Do my mind divert from the actual problem? Am I not able to understand the relevant problems? How much my point is relevant to the issue I am addressing? What are the facts that can help me get the answers? How much the considerations that I have outlined truly answer my queries? According to Driskell Salas (2013), to be able to control the thinking process should be the objective of the aircrews for the development of mindfulness and situational awareness. According to Zhu Ma (2015), some queries during the process of introspection can discipline the thinking process. These are the following: Is it the proper question to ask at the present situation? Is there any major issue that I should address at the present situation? Does the question focus on the real issue? What information do I need to solve the queries? What should be the justified conclusion of the facts questioned? What is my point of view? Should I apply another point of view? Is there any other way to analyze? What are the related questions that I should take account? Such ways of critical thinking is self- disciplined, self- directed and self-monitored. As a result of critical thinking, situation awareness is increased that leads an aircrew to take proper decision. Conclusion Throughout the discussion, it is brought out that human factor plays a major role in aviation. It is essential that they maintain a smooth workflow. However, the past events have showed how one simple mistake can lead to a major accident that takes away many lives. There are many interrelated reasons behind these accidents. Some happened due to the disorganized working environment, and most of them occurred because of the failure from the pilots side. Misunderstanding due to miscommunication seems to be one of the primary reasons. However, it is already discussed how these miscommunication can borne out of the lack of concentration and psychological stress. There are other reasons too, which create miscommunication, but stress, anxiety and lack of concentration in a pilot can become very dangerous. It is a well-known fact that the task of a pilot needs a lot of concentration, situation awareness and presence of mind. Whereas, physical stress and fatigue affects the concentration leve l and damages the situation, it also hampers the communication between the personnel who work together for the accomplishment of the tasks. There are some methods through which physical stress and fatigue can be overcome. It reduces the anxiety level and enables the unhindered transfer of messages between the sender and the receiver. Proper sleep and physical exercise are the two most necessary elements that remove physical stress. There are some other ways too which have been discussed. Apart from the ensuring security at the individual level, organizational framework and their working procedure have an impact on the safety and security of the aviation. Reference Archer, S. K. (2015). Gender, Communication, and Aviation Incidents/Accidents.Journal of Media Critiques [JMC],1(2). Baker, R. (2013).Understanding Trauma: how to overcome post-traumatic stress. Lion Books. Driskell, J. E., Salas, E. (Eds.). (2013).Stress and human performance. Psychology Press. Driskell, T., Driskell, J. E., Salas, E. (2014). Stress, performance, and decision making in organizations.Judgment and decision making at work, 251-276. Ford, J., Henderson, R., O'Hare, D. (2013). Barriers to intra-aircraft communication and safety: The perspective of the flight attendants.The International Journal of Aviation Psychology,23(4), 368-387. Kaiser, S. A. (2013). Automation and Limits of Human Performance: Potential Factors in Aviation Accidents.ZLW,62, 204. Kemp, P. M., Cardona, P. S., Chaturvedi, A. K., Soper, J. W. (2013).Distribution of 9-Tetrahydrocannabinol and 11-Nor-9-Carboxy-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in Postmortem Biological Fluids and Tissues From Pilots Fatally Injured in Aviation Accidents(No. DOT/FAA/AM-13/24). Leonhardt, J., Vogt, M. J. (Eds.). (2012).Critical incident stress management in aviation. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.. Linacre, S., Linacre, S. (2016). Stressing the importance of stress.Human Resource Management International Digest,24(6), 37-39. Martins, A. P. (2016). A review of important cognitive concepts in aviation.Aviation,20(2), 65-84. Meland, A., Fonne, V., Wagstaff, A., Pensgaard, A. M. (2015). Mindfulness-based mental training in a high-performance combat aviation population: A one-year intervention study and two-year follow-up.The International Journal of Aviation Psychology,25(1), 48-61. Powell, S. K. (2016). Mindfulness, Multitasking, and You.Professional case management,21(2), 61-62. Ursin, H. (Ed.). (2012).Psychobiology of stress: A study of coping men. Elsevier. Vine, S. J., Uiga, L., Lavric, A., Moore, L. J., Tsaneva-Atanasova, K., Wilson, M. R. (2015). Individual reactions to stress predict performance during a critical aviation incident.Anxiety, Stress, Coping,28(4), 467-477. Wagner, M., Sahar, Y., Elbaum, T., Botzer, A., Berliner, E. (2015). Grip Force as a Measure of Stress in Aviation.The International Journal of Aviation Psychology,25(3-4), 157-170. Wang, H., Xie, G., Zheng, J. (2013, October). A New Model of Psychological Education for General Aviation Trainees. InInternational Academic Workshop on Social Science (IAW-SC-13). Atlantis Press. Zhu, S. X., Ma, W. L. (2015). Cockpit/cabin Crew Communication: Problems and Countermeasures. InInternational Conference on Education, Management, Commerce and Society (EMCS15). Ikusika, O. M., Joseph, L., Nagy, P. (2012). The Safety Attitudes Questionnaire in radiology: a cornerstone of a successful quality program.Journal of the American College of Radiology,9(2), 150-151. Clay-Williams, R., Colligan, L. (2015). Back to basics: checklists in aviation and healthcare.BMJ quality safety,24(7), 428-431. Conway, D., Dick, I., Li, Z., Wang, Y., Chen, F. (2013, September). The effect of stress on cognitive load measurement. InIFIP Conference on Human-Computer Interaction(pp. 659-666). Springer Berlin Heidelberg. Taylor, A., Dixon-Hardy, D. W., Wright, S. J. (2014). Simulation training in UK general aviation: An undervalued aid to reducing loss of control accidents.The International Journal of Aviation Psychology,24(2), 141-152.