Occupational differences between conventional and saturation divers.

Diving experiences of 53 Divers First Class attending the U.S. Navy Saturation Diver Training Program were compared to 155 Divers First Class performing routine operational dives. The two groups were matched for years of diving experience, total number of dives, and total number of SCUBA dives. The Diving Experience Questionnaire (DEQ), which consisted of 43 items dealing with specific diving conditions and activites, was used to document the diving backgrounds of the two groups. Five of the 43 items were found to significantly and uniquely differentiate between the two groups. Those attending the Saturation Diving Program a) made more dives between 46-61 m (151-200 ft), b) had more experience with semiclosed-circuit SCUBA, c) attended more deep-diving training courses, d) made fewer dives in water warmer than 70 degrees F, and e) had fewer specialized qualifications outside deep diving. The multiple regression analysis which differentiated between the two groups resulted in an R of 0.48. These five items indicate that volunteering for saturation diving is consistent or congruent with past deep-diving experience, while remaining in conventional diving is congruent with previous shallow-water experience. These results indicate that the DEQ may be a highly useful method of differentiating between experienced divers.