Psychological Risks and Legal Regulations for Seafarers

Abstract

This study analyzes the psychosocial risks encountered in maritime professions and investigates the use of cognitive-emotional strategies among seafarers, divided into two distinct age groups. Utilizing a quantitative comparative methodology, the research included a sample of 225 participants. Data were collected using the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and were analyzed through paired samples t-tests and correlation analyses in SPSS. The primary goal was to identify potential age-related differences in the prevalence and intensity of coping mechanisms such as self-blame, acceptance, rumination, positive refocusing, planning, positive reappraisal, putting into perspective, catastrophizing, and other blame. Descriptive statistics showed comparable mean scores across all strategies between the two groups. Inferential tests confirmed that none of the differences were statistically significant (all p-values > 0.05), suggesting a high level of similarity between juniors and seniors in how they emotionally manage stress. These results indicate a convergence of psychological adaptation processes, possibly influenced by shared socio-cultural factors and increased mental health awareness across age groups. The study highlights the need for further longitudinal or cross-cultural research to explore developmental trajectories and contextual influences on coping mechanisms.