Selected psychological aspects of qualifying candidates for divers and scuba divers

The article presents the results of a pilot programme to include psychological tests in the qualification rules for candidates for military divers and scuba divers. 207 candidates for training at the Polish Army Divers and Scuba Divers Training Centre were tested. They were subjected to mental fitness tests, personality tests, psychomotor fitness tests and general fitness tests. Numerous psychological contraindications to undertaking training and diving service were identified; the most common issue identified being a lack of robustness of the diver’s mental state for dealing with the situations likely to be encountered in the water. The conclusions suggest that, as in other countries, psychological examinations should be included in the qualification of candidates for diving. The results of the tests, despite their non-mandatory nature, were partly taken into account in the opinion of the Military Maritime and Medical Commission.