Investigating systematic individual differences in sleep-deprived performance on a high-fidelity flight simulator.

Full Abstract

Laboratory research has revealed considerable systematic variability in the degree to which individuals' alertness and performance are affected by sleep deprivation. However, little is known about whether or not different populations exhibit similar levels of individual variability. In the present study, we examined individual variability in performance impairment due to sleep loss in a highly select population of militaryjet pilots. Ten active-duty F-117 pilots were deprived of sleep for 38 h and studied repeatedly in a high-fidelity flight simulator. Data were analyzed with a mixed-model ANOVA to quantify individual variability. Statistically significant, systematic individual differences in the effects of sleep deprivation were observed, even when baseline differences were accounted for. The findings suggest that highly select populations may exhibit individual differences in vulnerability to performance impairment from sleep loss just as the general population does. Thus, the scientific and operational communities' reliance on group data as opposed to individual data may entail substantial misestimation of the impact of job-related stressors on safety and performance.

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Author information

Author/s: Van Dongen, Hans P A (HP); Caldwell, John A (JA); Caldwell, J Lynn (JL);

Affiliation: Sleep and Performance Research Center, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington 99210-1495, USA. hvd(-atsign-)wsu.edu

Grants: R01-HL70154 (Agency:NHLBI NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: Behavior research methods (Behav Res Methods), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 38 (issue 2) : pp 333-43

Dates: Created 2006/09/07; Completed 2006/09/26; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 16956110, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aviation
Computer Simulation
Humans
Male

Middle Aged
Psychology - statistics & numerical data
Sleep Deprivation
Space Flight
User-Computer Interface

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