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The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the psychological state of the crew members and the needs for psychological support during prolonged isolation. For the purpose methods employed that have been widely used in psychological evaluation during Soviet spaceflights. Communication between Commander and Crew Interface Coordinator (CIC) was analyzed. Crew disposition was observed and analyzed for information about the process of group formation and the role of each crew member in this process. Operation of the CIC's was investigated for evidence of a psychological support function. During isolation certain adaptive changes in communication took place: (1) use of unplanned contacts and intensive contacts with a preferred ground crew member, (2) resistance to penetration in the life of the crew (increase of aggressive statements and self-justifications, reduction of report length and claims), and (3) closing communication to "outsiders" by using a special code and decreasing discussion of problems. A process of group formation was noted in the course of isolation, but the final structure of the group was not stable. The relations of subjects B, D and G were crucial in the creation of an effective crew. The woman in the crew was never involved in conflicts and acted as a peacemaker. The crew regarded the communication channel between Commander and CIC as belonging to the entire crew for expressing feelings about crew relations, administration and services, and the CIC can provide needed psychological support, confirming earlier experience from Soviet simulated and actual spaceflights.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prolonged isolation on the higher psychic functions, like working memory, attention concentration, and intellect (problem solving and decision making), and on sensory-motor skills and stress resistance. Previous Soviet simulation studies and the ISEMSI isolation experiment have indicated that prolonged isolation can affect higher psychic functions. A set of psychological tests in the form of a computer game was presented each workday to the chamber crew and to the ground crew serving as a control group. In analyzing the data it was taken into account that performance can be affected not only by the influence of isolation, but also by a learning process and by subject motivation. In addition, a distinction was made between absolute score and stability (range) of the score. Analysis of the chamber crew's work capability as a function of time showed the occurrence of three distinct periods of adaptation: (1) a period of acute adaptation in week 1, (2) a period of stable adaptation during weeks 3-6, and (3) a period of "final effort" in weeks 8-9. While in general the effect of isolation on the absolute scores was minor, larger ranges for the scores in "working memory," "attention concentration," and "calculation under time deficit" tests are an indication of increased instability, probably due to stress resistance. The 4 female subjects of the combined groups scored significantly higher than the 5 males in "attention concentration/distribution," "spatial orientation," "intuition in visual search," and "logical decision making under time deficit." Males presented higher scores in "calculation under time deficit" and working memory, and higher stability in "attention concentration" and "calculation under time deficit."