Jennifer Ritsher

Association of Rorschach and MMPI psychosis indicators and schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses in a Russian clinical sample

In this study, I investigated the relationships among psychological test variables and schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses in a Russian sample of 180 psychiatric patients. Schizophrenia is understood somewhat differently in Russia than in the West. Analyses compared Rorschach (SCZI, PTI; Exner, 2001) and MMPI (Berezin, Mitroshinkov, & Sokolova, 1994) psychosis indicators (Sc, Sc3, Sc6, and BIZ) and 3 diagnostic systems: (a) Russian traditional, (b) the Russian-modified International Classification of Diseases (9th ed. [ICD-9]; Ministerstvo Zdravokhraneniya SSSR, 1982), and (c) the nonmodified ICD-10 (World Health Organization, 1992; comparable to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders [4th ed.], American Psychiatric Association, 1994). Results showed modest support for the SCZI and PTI but not the MMPI indicators. While the field awaits further evidence, psychologists should proceed with caution when using the Rorschach and MMPI to assess for psychosis among Russians.

DIFFERENCES IN PATTERNS OF MOOD STATES AMONG RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN SPACE STATION CREWS

Based on our previous studies of astronauts, cosmonauts, and Russian psychiatric patients, we hypothesized tha t the patterning of mood states among space program personnel would vary by culture, regardless of overall levels of well being. We tested whether indicators of depression were more strongly related to fatigue and irritability among Russians, and to anxie ty among Americans. Participants included Russian and American crewmembers and ground control personnel from the Shuttle/Mir program and Russian crewmembers from a Mir simulator mission. Results supported the hypotheses overall, but there were some inconsistencies. Our team’s ongoing study of International Space Station personnel will provide an opportunity to replicate these analyses in an additional sample. BACKGROUND

Psychosocial Issues During a Mars Mission

*† An expeditionary mission to Mars will expose t he crewmembers to unique psychological and interpersonal issues that may negatively impact on mission goals and crew safety. As opposed to an Antarctic winter -over, an orbital space station mission, or a trip to the moon, an expedition to Mars is fraught w ith unique stressors that can impact on crewmember behavior and performance. These include the extreme distances between Mars and the Earth; the need for a mission duration approaching three years; the changing gravity conditions that go from 1 g on Earth to nearly 0 in space to .38 g on Mars; and the inability of mission control to resupply the crew and to discuss issues in real time due to two -way communication delays of up to 44 minutes. Such stressors will have an important impact on the psychological and interpersonal functioning of the crewmembers. These include: 1) the need for the crew to be more autonomous and to deal directly with problems that arise; 2) the increased dependence of crewmembers on technical life -support systems that may stretch t he limits of the human -machine interface; 3) the frustration of communication delays with the Earth and the inability of crewmembers to discuss problems with people on Earth in real time; 4) the effects of long -term isolation and social monotony; and 5) th e impact of the Earth -out -of -view phenomenon, which has never been experienced before in the history of humankind. Our previous research during on -orbit missions has examined some of these issues and will be reviewed. However, more research is needed to s tudy the effects of these unique stressors on individual and crew behavior in order to improve the probability of a successful expeditionary mission to Mars.