Coping with the problems of space flight: Reports from astronauts and cosmonauts

Autobiographies, memoirs, interviews, and oral histories of 72 spaceflight veterans were content analyzed to assess reported coping strategies in each phase of space missions (before, during, and after the flight). Comparisons were made on the basis of: Home space agency, gender, historical era of spaceflight, longest flight duration, and number of space missions completed. Trend analyses were used to track coping changes from the pre-flight period through the mission and after returning from space. Trained scorers used a standard coping strategy checklist to identify coping style whenever the material indicated that a problem had occurred and a solution was sought or applied. Differences across demographic and mission profile categories were found in materials referring to the three mission phases. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.