Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

The Examination Of Suicidal Ideation And Ptsd Among First Responders, Amanda Catalan

Psychology Doctoral Specialization Projects

First responders are vital to our safety and protection, but this does not come without a price. First responders are often exposed to life threatening situations that put them at risk, and are exposed to those in critical condition, and unfortuantely, those who have died. This makes first responders more at risk to develop mental health conditions, particulalrly Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. (PTSD). First Responders were found to be more likely compared to civilians to develop PTSD. They were also more likely to experience suicidal ideation. First responders who met criteria for a PTSD diagnosis were also more likely to have …

Posttraumatic Growth Following Critical Incident Exposure For Urban Firefighters, Deirdre Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters are often exposed to critical/traumatic incidents. Regular exposure to critical/traumatic incidents has the potential to cause negative psychological problems among this population, though there is also a likelihood that firefighters can experience a positive effect such as posttraumatic growth (PTG) as a result of critical incident exposure. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of PTG for urban firefighters following exposure to work-related traumatic events. The phenomenon of PTG provided the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected from semistructured telephone interviews with eight urban firefighters. Findings from coding and thematic analysis …

First Responders’ Assumptions: An Exploration Of Emergency Medical Technicians’ Secondary Traumatic Stress And Perceptions Of Substance Users, Glenn Noble

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Emergency medical technicians (EMT) and firefighters respond to critical incidents and provide emergent care. As the opioid crisis continues and drug overdose rates increase, first responders administer first aid to substance users, including Naloxone, more frequently. This study examined the influence of repeated exposure to drug-related critical incidents and provision of care to substance users on EMTs' and firefighters' secondary traumatic stress (STS) level, world assumptions, and substance use stigma. First responders' world assumptions, STS, burnout, and exposure to drug-related overdoses were analyzed for their power in predicting substance use stigma. Results suggest that occupational burnout, rather than STS, is …

Occupational Stressors Among Firefighters: Application Of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (Mcdm)Techniques, Fazel Rajabi, Hossein Molaeifar, Mehdi Jahangiri, Shekofeh Taheri, Sean Banaee, Payam Farhadi

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Firefighters are exposed to a wide range of occupational stressors due to the nature of their job. Multicriteria decision-making technique (MCDM) is a method for identifying, evaluating, and preventing occupational stressors among firefighters. The purpose of this study was to identify and prioritize the occupational stressors among firefighters using the fuzzy delphi method (FDM) and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP).

Methods: This qualitative-descriptive study was carried out in two stages. First, the most important occupational stressors of firefighters were identified and screened using a systematic review of scientific references and expert opinions based on the FDM. Then, all of …

Examining The Relation Of Psychological Distress To Shift Work In Firefighters, Lindsey Marie Lilly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Firefighters experience stressful job demands. Many of them work in shifts that can extend to 96-hour rotations. Firefighters also tend to suffer from poor sleep quality and psychological distress; however, there are conflicting findings on how these factors may relate to each other. The purpose of this quantitative survey study was to examine the relation between symptoms of depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol abuse to shift duration in firefighters who work 24-hour shifts compared to those who work 48-hour shifts, with sleep quality as a mediating variable. The repair and restoration theory of sleep was the theoretical …

A Qualitative Study Of The Motivations And Affiliation Dynamics Involved With A Firefighting Career, Michael W. Firmin, Kristin Dewitt, Heidi Gibbs Ellis, Lauren A. Smith, Nicole M. Tiffan

Psychology Faculty Publications

We explored the experiences of full-time firefighters in the present phenomenological qualitative study, having conducted semi-structured interviews with 26 male full-time firefighters. Their personal constructs of motivation and affiliation were explored and, within the constructs of motivation, three themes emerged. First, firefighters were motivated by a love of the excitement firefighting provides. Second, firefighters reported that the work schedule, which allows them more time at home, was a motivation. Third (and most emphasized by the firefighters) was an altruistic motivation to help others. Under the construct of affiliation, the firefighters reported a strong sense of brotherhood with their shift-partners, and …

Workplace Bullying, Emotional Abuse, And Harassment In Fire Departments, John C. Griffith, Donna Roberts

Publications

Firefighters are heroes who save lives and protect property. They are highly revered in societies all around the world and perform under the most stressful of conditions. Drawing on literature from the United States (USA), this chapter reviews the culture, demographics and changing mission of the fire service as a backdrop to workplace harassment and bullying issues. The fire service has unique organizational dynamics that can lead to harassment and bullying and, at the same time, are the critical reasons for working to eliminate intentional and unintentional unfair treatment of women and minorities. Recent literature and studies show that the …

Proactive Stress Management For Firefighters, Amanda M. Mead

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Firefighters in the United States face significant risks as they serve their communities. Despite research that has thus far demonstrated the benefits of proactive coping strategies, and a previously suggested need for a proactive stress management program for firefighters, no such program has yet been implemented or evaluated specifically for firefighters. The purpose of this dissertation was to research stress and stress management using qualitative interviews with New Hampshire and Arizona firefighters to inform the development of a future primary prevention program (proactive stress management) to this at-risk population. Results yielded themes of sleep deprivation, stigma, protectiveness, mental health, lack …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms And Coping In Australian Volunteer Firefighters, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell, Bruce Watt

Ryan Bell

This study examined the relationship between coping style and longterm posttraumatic stress symptoms in an Australian sample of volunteer firefighters 84 months following a bushfire disaster. A total of 277 firefighters completed 4 questionnaires to assess patterns of psychiatric morbidity. A 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to investigate the effect of time and disorder on coping. Firefighters evidencing distress were more likely to use both problem- and emotion-focused methods of coping. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that problem-focused coping strategies would be used after 84 months. The use of both problem- and emotion-focused coping may be …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms And Coping In Australian Volunteer Firefighters, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell, Bruce Watt

Bruce Watt

This study examined the relationship between coping style and longterm posttraumatic stress symptoms in an Australian sample of volunteer firefighters 84 months following a bushfire disaster. A total of 277 firefighters completed 4 questionnaires to assess patterns of psychiatric morbidity. A 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to investigate the effect of time and disorder on coping. Firefighters evidencing distress were more likely to use both problem- and emotion-focused methods of coping. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that problem-focused coping strategies would be used after 84 months. The use of both problem- and emotion-focused coping may be …

An Investigation Into The Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms And Coping In Australian Volunteer Firefighters, Rebekah Doley, Ryan Bell, Bruce Watt

Rebekah Doley

This study examined the relationship between coping style and longterm posttraumatic stress symptoms in an Australian sample of volunteer firefighters 84 months following a bushfire disaster. A total of 277 firefighters completed 4 questionnaires to assess patterns of psychiatric morbidity. A 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to investigate the effect of time and disorder on coping. Firefighters evidencing distress were more likely to use both problem- and emotion-focused methods of coping. Based on previous research, it was hypothesized that problem-focused coping strategies would be used after 84 months. The use of both problem- and emotion-focused coping may be …

The Experiences Of Being A Full-Time Firefighter: A Qualitative Study, Ruth L. Markham, Nicole M. Tiffan, Lauren A. Kuhlwein, Heidi M. Gibbs

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

Firefighters are exposed to stress both physically and psychologically on a nearly daily basis, which can have a profound effect on their physical and emotional well-being. In the present qualitative study we explore the effects of being a full time firefighter on both personal and professional aspects of life. Full time firefighters from departments around the southwest Ohio region are being interviewed using a semi-structured format. Those interviews are recorded and transcribed for the purpose of analysis, as we look for common themes among these professionals. Our questions specifically focus on the experiences a firefighter has had while being on …

Burnout In Firefighters: A Word On Methodology, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, Renzo Bianchi

Publications and Research

At least three methodological problems affect the study by Katsavouni et al. (2016). First, there are currently no diagnostic criteria for burnout, neither in the DSM-5, nor in the ICD-10. Second, one extremely important variable was omitted from this study of firefighters, namely, depression. Third, the authors did not control for relevant nonoccupational factors such as stressors occurring outside of work.

The Relationship Between The Utilization Of Mental Health Services, Coping Mechanisms, And Reputation In Male Firefighters, Rodger E. Broome Phd, Jessica Bulala Psyd

Rodger E. Broome

The study shows that firefighters believe in masculine ideals, including independence, strength, and straightforwardness. Therefore, it would seem probable that firefighters in treatment would respond well to psychoeducation on communication styles, coping skills, and mental health in general.