Psychological adaptation in Antarctica amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Psychological adaptation in isolated, confined, and extreme environments plays an important role in the achievement of performance and wellbeing. Whereas empirical research has been fruitful in determining the antecedents of psychological adaptation, opportunities remain to identify and apply new constructs through which psychological adaptation can grow. In the current study, we explored the possibility that one such construct is individual self-leadership. Participants were eight Antarctic scientists enrolled in the 2021–2022 summer campaign in the South Shetland Islands, under considerable COVID-19 restrictions during that period. Data were collected on three occasions and analysed through a mixed-method approach where qualitative and quantitative evidence were integrated. Overall, the results indicated that the self-imposed quarantine pre-deployment period in Punta Arenas had a heavy toll on expeditioners mental health, with the psychological adaptation and self-leadership of expeditioners being positively correlated across the campaign. The implications of our findings, as well possible future research directions, are discussed.