Abstract
Resilience has been highlighted as a pivotal factor in overcoming the detrimental impact of trauma. The present study tests a resilience model of trauma using risk (rumination, emotion regulation, and entrapment) and protective (perceived social support) factors in a sample of firefighters who are at heightened risk for post-traumatic stress disorder, using a cross-sectional design. Specifically, the present study focuses on perceived social support as a resilience factor against PTSD symptoms, in response to trauma exposure. The sample included 545 firefighters from six large cities in Korea, who completed the following self-report questionnaires: Life Event Checklist, Event-related Rumination Inventory, Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, Entrapment scale, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire. Exposure to traumatic events indirectly affected PTSD symptoms via intrusive rumination, emotional regulation, and perceptions of entrapment. Additionally, the mediating effects of intrusive rumination and perceptions of entrapment were moderated by perceived social support. That is, firefighters with high levels of perceived social support reported lower severity of rumination and PTSD symptoms. These findings suggest that perceptions of social support may operate as a resilience factor in buffering the effects of trauma on PTSD symptoms. Perceived social support interacts with intrusive rumination and perceptions of entrapment, thereby resisting the development of PTSD symptoms.
Highlights
Firefighters are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder [1] due to repeated exposure to traumatic events
The event-related intrusive rumination that was assessed in the present study is composed of different constructs from PTSD symptoms (e.g. “re-experiencing”) in that it emerges in response to positive as well as negative life events, and is even considered to be a normal psychological process in the face of significant experiences [18]
The present study aimed to explore possible pathways of risk for the development of PTSD in firefighters who are regularly exposed to traumatic events
Summary
Firefighters are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder [1] due to repeated exposure to traumatic events. The estimated prevalence rate of PTSD among firefighters ranges from 18% to 22% [2, 3], which is three times higher than the general population[4]. The empirical research on PTSD in firefighters is limited, despite a growing interest in PTSD in firefighters as well as other vulnerable populations, such as combat-veterans or sexual abuse victims.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
