The relationship between adaptation disorders and psychophysiological and psychological characteristics of electric power workers in the South of Russia

Context and relevance. Workers in the electric power industry (power lines, substations) are exposed to increased health risks associated with various factors, which leads to manifestations of adaptation disorders at the psychological and physiological levels. Objective. To identify the links between adaptation disorders and psychophysiological and psychological characteristics of workers in the electric power industry of the South of Russia, taking into account gender and length of service. Hypothesis. Adaptation disorders in workers in the electric power industry of the South of Russia are interconnected with their psychological and psychophysiological characteristics. Methods and materials. The study involved 42 electricians servicing electrical substations, overhead power line servicing foremen, and power line service engineers in the South of Russia (34 men and 8 women). Using the device of psychophysiological testing UPFT-1/30 “Psychophysiologist” (Medicom MTD, Russia), the participants in the study were assessed: variation cardiointervalometry, complex visual-motor reaction, and psychological tests were also conducted — the questionnaire “Maladaptation disorders” (A.G. Maklakov, S.V. Chermyanin), “Well-being. Activity. Mood”, the questionnaire of K. Leonhard. Statistical processing of the obtained data included descriptive statistics, correlation and variance analysis. Results. It was found that the severity of adaptation disorders at the psychological level is interconnected with the indicators of variation cardiointervalometry: the duration of cardio-intervals and the heart rate. A greater severity of the features of stuck and cyclothymic accentuations of character at the physiological level corresponds to lower indicators of the complex visual-motor reaction. Conclusions. Adaptation disorders are more pronounced in women than in men, and are least pronounced in men with average work experience. The specificity of manifestations of adaptation disorders is associated with the severity of character accentuations. The results obtained can be used in psychoprophylactic and rehabilitation activities with workers in the electric power industry.

1. Belozerova, N.N. (2005). Features of psychological adaptation of military personnel to extreme conditions of service: Extended abstr. Cand. of Psychol. Sci. (In Russ.).
2. Berezin, F.B. (1988). Mental and psychophysiological adaptation of man. Leningrad: Nauka. (In Russ.).
3. Bulygina, V.G., Pronicheva, M.M., Kabanova, T.N., Dubinsky, A.A., Lysenko, N.E., Noss,I.M., Shipkova, K.M., Vasilchenko, A.S., Peeva, O.D. (2023). Modern approaches to the study of the mechanisms of mental adaptation, stress response and behavior regulation in high-risk and life-threatening situations in mentally healthy people and people with mental disorders: Analytical review. Moscow: V.P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology Publ. (In Russ.).
4. Vorobyeva, E.V. (2016). Technology of objective psychophysiological assessment of motivational characteristics of psychology students. Moscow: Limited Liability Company “Credo” Publ. (In Russ.).
5. Vorona, O.A., Korochenko, T.Yu. (2012). The role of personal characteristics in the professional activities of operational personnel in the energy sector. Humanitarian Vector. Series: Pedagogy, Psychology, 1(29), 225—234. (In Russ.).
6. Ermakov, P.N., Vorob’eva, E.V., Iatsyk, G.G. (2016). Individual characteristics of stress response during psychophysiological research using a polygraph. Russian Psychological Journal, 13(2), 156—168. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.21702/rpj.2016.2.12
7. Korekhova, M.V. (2013). Factors of mental maladaptation of specialists in extreme activity profile: Extended abstr. Cand. of Psychol. Sci. Saint Petersburg. (In Russ.).
8. Leonhard, K. (1981). Accentuated personalities [Akzentuierte Persönlichkeiten]. Trans. from Germ. Kyiv: Higher School. (In Russ.).
9. Lysenko, N.E., Bulygina, V.G., Rashevskaya, O.Yu., Peeva, O.D., Isangalieva, I.M. (2024). [Psychophysiological profiles of adaptation in conditions of stress modeling for specialists in dangerous professions. Russian Journal of Psychiatry, 2, 79—87. (In Russ.).
10. Макарова, О.А., Разина, Т.В. (2023). Психофизиологические качества в профессиональной деятельности оператора получения непрерывного стекловолокна. Человеческий капитал, 8(176), 235— https://doi.org/10.25629/HC.2023.08.27
    Makarova, O.A., Razina, T.V. (2023). Psychophysiological qualities in the professional activity of the operator for obtaining continuous glass fiber. Human Capital, 8(176), 235—244. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.25629/HC.2023.08.27
11. Методический справочник «Устройство психофизиологического тестирования УФПТ-1/30 — “Психофизиолог”». (2015). Таганрог: Медиком МТД.
    Methodological reference book “Device for psychophysiological testing UFPT-1/30 — “Psychophysiologist”. (2015). Taganrog: Medikom MTD Publ. (In Russ.).
12. Стебенева, Е.В. (2010). Социальная адаптация к стрессогенному влиянию служебной деятельности и профессиональная деформация сотрудников органов внутренних дел. Вестник Санкт-Петербургского университета МВД России, 2(46), 235—
    Stebeneva, E.V. (2010). Social adaptation to stressogen to influence of office activity and professional deformation of employers of law-enforcement bodies. Vestnik of the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, 2(46), 235—238. (In Russ.).
13. Тюряпина, И.В. (2014). Группы риска психической дезадаптации среди студентов-первокурсников вуза с различными типами акцентуации личности. Экология человека, 3, 28—
    Tyuryapina, I.V. (2014). Signification of mental dysaptation high-risk group among first year university students with different types of personal accentuations. Human Ecology, 3, 28—33. (In Russ.).
14. Фатхутдинова, Л.М., Залялов, Р.Р., Ослопов, В.Н. (2009). Влияние магнитных полей низкой частоты на функциональное состояние миокарда у работников электросетей. Казанский медицинский журнал, 90(4), 477—
    Fatkhutdinova, L.M., Zalyalov, R.R., Oslopov, V.N. (2009). The effect of low frequency magnetic fields on the functional state of the myocardium of the power supply workers. Kazan Medical Journal, 90(4), 477—481. (In Russ.).
15. Хренкова, В.В., Абакумова, Л.В., Лысенко, А.В., Баршай, В.М., Рогинская, А.А., Карсакова, А.А., Журавлева, М.В. (2014). Вариационная кардиоинтервалометрия как метод экспресс-оценки функционального состояния студентов с разным уровнем двигательной активности. Фундаментальные исследования, 11-5, 1090—
    Khrenkova, V.V., Abakumova, L.V., Lysenko, A.V., Barshay, V.M., Roginskaya, A.A., Karsakova, A.A., Zhuravleva, M.V. (2014). Variational cardiointervalometry as a method of express-evaluation of the functional state of students with different levels of physical activity. Fundamental Research, 11-5, 1090—1093. (In Russ.).
16. Черныш, И.В. (2007). Гендерные особенности адаптации к экстремальным условиям деятельности сотрудников пограничной службы ФСБ РФ: Дис. ... канд. психол. наук. Ростов-на-Дону.
    Chernysh, I.V. (2007). Gender features of adaptation to extreme conditions of work of employees of the border service of the FSS of the Russian Federation: Diss. ... candidate of psychological sciences. Rostov-on-Don. (In Russ.).
17. Шкрабак, Р.В., Орлов, П.С., Шкрабак, В.С., Круду, О.Н., Гусев, А.Н. (2023). Электротравматизм в структурах жизнедеятельности и пути его снижения и ликвидации. Вестник аграрной науки Дона, 16(4), 102— https://doi.org/10.55618/20756704_2023_16_4_102-112
    Shkrabak, R.V., Orlov, P.S., Shkrabak, V.S., Krudu, O.N., Gusev, A.N. (2023). Electrical injury in life structures and ways to reduce and eliminate it. Don Agrarian Science Bulletin, 16(4), 102—112. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.55618/20756704_2023_16_4_102-112
18. Юрьева, Е.В. (2004). Физиолого-гигиенические основы профилактики заболеваний сердечно-сосудистой системы персонала предприятия электрических сетей: Автореферат дис. ... кандидата медицинских наук: 14.00.07. Федеральный научный центр гигиены им. Ф.Ф. Эрисмана. Москва.
    Yurjeva, E.V. (2004). Physiological and hygienic foundations for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in personnel of an electrical network enterprise: Extended abstr. diss. of candidate of medical sciences: 14.00.07. Federal Scientific Center of Hygiene named after F.F. Erisman. (In Russ.).
19. Яцык, Г.Г., Воробьева, Е.В. (2017). Современные психофизиологические исследования решения когнитивных задач в условиях стресса. Северо-Кавказский психологический вестник, 15(2), 39—
    Yatsyk, G.G., Vorobjeva, E.V. (2017). Modern psychophysiological studies of solving cognitive problems under stress. North Caucasian Psychological Bulletin, 15(2), 39—49. (In Russ.).
20. Baevsky, R.М., Chernikova, A.G. (2017). Heart rate variability analysis: physiological foundations and main methods. Cardiometry, 10, 66—76. https://doi.org/12710/cardiometry.2017.6676
21. Brearley, M., Harrington, P., Lee, D., Taylor, R. (2015). Working in hot conditions — a study of electrical utility workers in the northern territory of Australia. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 12(3), 156—162. https://doi.org/1080/15459624.2014.957831
22. de Souza, S.F., Carvalho, F.M., de Araújo, T.M., Koifman, S., Porto, L.A. (2012). Depression in high voltage power line workers. Revista Brasileira de Epidemiologia, 15(2), 235—245. https://doi.org/1590/s1415-790x2012000200001
23. Flouris, A.D., Ioannou, L.G., Notley, S.R., Kenny, G.P. (2022). Determinants of heat stress and strain in electrical utilities workers across North America as assessed by means of an exploratory questionnaire. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 19(1), 12—22. https://doi.org/1080/15459624.2021.2001475
24. Fordyce, T.A., Leonhard, M.J., Watson, H.N., Mezei, G., Vergara, X.P., Krishen, L. (2016). An analysis of fatal and non-fatal injuries and injury severity factors among electric power industry workers. American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 59(11), 948—958. https://doi.org/1002/ajim.22621
25. Meade, R.D., Lauzon, M., Poirier, M.P., Flouris, A.D., Kenny, G.P. (2015). An Evaluation of the Physiological Strain Experienced by Electrical Utility Workers in North America. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 12(10), 708—720. https://doi.org/1080/15459624.2015.1043054
26. Moriguchi, C.S., Carnaz, L., Alencar, J.F., Miranda Júnior, L.C., Granqvist, L., Hansson, G.A., Gil Coury, H.J. (2011). Postures and movements in the most common tasks of power line workers. Industrial Health, 49(4), 482—491. https://doi.org/2486/indhealth.ms1252
27. Rogerson, S., Climstein, M., Meir, R., Crowley-McHattan, Z., Chapman, N. (2024). Prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction in electrical utility workers: Practical considerations for prevention and rehabilitation in the workplace. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 71(4), 499—512. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12939