Underreporting of Depression in Australian Commercial Pilots

Area of Science:

• Aviation Psychology
• Occupational Health
• Mental Health Screening

Background:

• Undiagnosed depression in aviation poses severe risks, including aircraft-assisted suicide.
• Depression is frequently underreported by individuals aware of the screening's focus.
• Stigma and fear associated with the "depression" label contribute to underreporting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if depression screening tool scores differ when disguised as a "life stress" questionnaire.
• To assess the impact of labeling on depression reporting in Australian commercial pilots.

Main Methods:

• 109 Australian commercial pilots participated in the study.
• Subjects were divided into two groups: one receiving a "Life Stress" survey and a control group receiving a "Depression" survey.
• Both surveys included the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scales (DASS) depression screening tool.

Main Results:

• Pilots in the "Life Stress" (covert) group reported significantly higher average depression scores than the "Depression" (overt) group.
• Depression prevalence was 25% in the control group, increasing to 41% in the covert group.
• Findings indicate a substantial increase in detected depression when screening is less direct.

Conclusions:

• Research supports the hypothesis of significant underreporting of depression among pilots due to stigma.
• Aviation organizations should implement proactive strategies to mitigate psychological harm and reduce reliance on self-reporting.
• Recruitment and assessment methods need revision to minimize bias against individuals with disabilities, fostering non-punitive environments for psychological self-assessment and treatment.