Background:

This study focuses on the analysis of stress arising from the inherent demands of life at sea, affecting both the physical and mental well-being of seafarers, potentially compromising their personal and professional development. However, this stress can be heightened during extended periods spent at sea. Stemming from the XI World Cruise of Juan Sebastián Elcano’s vessel, this study aims to investigate whether Psychological Capital can predict the perception of stress within military crews.

Method:

This investigation involved assessing perceived stress (PSS) and psychological capital (PCQ-24) in a sample of 122 military personnel aboard the vessel Juan Sebastian Elcano. Subsequently, a descriptive correlational exploratory study was conducted.

Results:

A negative and significant correlation was detected between psychological capital and perceived stress, explaining up to 31 % of the variance in the latter. Of the variance explained by psychological capital, 33 % corresponds to its hope component, 28.1 % to efficacy, 24.4 % to optimism, and finally, 14.5 % to resilience.

Conclusions:

Due to the predictive power of psychological capital on stress perception, developing psychological capital programs could be an effective strategy for reducing stress among the embarked personnel.