Anxiety Trends in Officers of Varying Ranks in Merchant Navy

Abstract

Merchant navy or seafaring is a profession in which on-board seafarers/ officers constantly face a lot of different stressors that are related to the different responsibilities or ranks held onboard ships. One of the most pressing mental health concerns among the seafarers is Anxiety. Previous research suggests that anxiety may be experienced in different magnitudes as a function of the rank held by the seafarer/ officer. Various studies suggest that anxiety levels may differ according to the ranks held at the ship. The kind of stressors faced by each rank/ position also differs which may lead to varying anxiety trends. There are very few studies done on Indian population of this group. This study sought to identify if there are any differences between the level of anxiety faced by Indian seafarers of various ranks. 315 male Indian seafarers between the age of 20 and 65 years were administered the Cattell’s 16 personality factor scale and the scores on Anxiety factors were compared between ranks. The results showed a significant difference in the anxiety levels between ranks. Strategies to cope with anxiety particular to the rank/ responsibility should be investigated and further research on developing specific interventions should be considered.