Personal resources and environmental facilitators of air traffic controllers’ self-efficacy in handling critical events: a mixed-method study

Given to COVID-19 travel restrictions, air traffic controllers (ATCOs) have witnessed changes in their work modes, besides facing often critical events and decision-making under pressure. However, little is known about ATCOs during the pandemic. It is also still unclear how and when mindfulness may spur ATCOs self-efficacy in handling critical events. This study fills this gap by integrating data survey from a sample of 168 Italian ATCOs with qualitative data from 10 semi-structured interviews. Moderated mediation models and thematic analysis were performed. The results showed that the positive link between ATCOs’ mindfulness and self-efficacy in handling critical events was mediated by problem-focused coping tendencies, but only when ATCOs had prior experience with critical events. The direct effect of mindfulness on self-efficacy was significant only for ATCOs who were trained in critical incident management. The themes that emerged from the interviews deepened these results. Despite its cross-sectional design and self-report nature, this is the first mixed-method study to identify mindfulness as a catalyst for ATCOs’ self-efficacy during a pandemic. ATCOs could benefit from mindfulness interventions, mentoring, training in critical event management, and problem-focused coping.