Abstract
Public safety personnel (PSP) experience a disproportionately high number of on-the-job stressors compared to the general population. PSP develop self-initiated actions, or coping strategies, that either confront the situation (approach strategies) or avoid the situation (avoidance strategies) to reduce the impact of stressors on their well-being. Understanding how PSP cope with stress is critical to ensuring their safety and that of the public. In the current study, we examined the coping strategies of PSP (n = 828 in the total sample). Participants managed their experiences of occupational stress or distress using three primary approach coping strategies: education (learning about mental illness and their causes), self-reliance (processes of self-reflection), and treatment (pharmaceutical, psychotherapy) that were considered adaptive. Results demonstrate PSP used multiple coping strategies simultaneously to deal with occupational stress. PSP who reported doing better tended to attribute their success to treatment, specifically psychotherapy, either alone or in combination with other interventions, and almost always emphasizing important supports from co-workers, families, and friends. Changing workplace culture could help to de-pathologize the effects of stress reactions being perceived as individual “failings”.
Highlights
Public safety personnel (PSP) are professionals frequently called upon to provide services, often during emergencies or disasters, to protect life and property, and to maintain safety and order [1,2]
The current study focused on identifying adaptive coping strategies PSP report using in response to repeated exposures to occupational stressors
Approach coping strategies have been associated with adaptive coping and improved outcomes after potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTE) exposures, including a more positive outlook and fewer intrusive thoughts [26]
Summary
Public safety personnel (PSP) are professionals frequently called upon to provide services, often during emergencies or disasters, to protect life and property, and to maintain safety and order [1,2]. The impact of using any coping strategy is contingent on the situation, individual capacities to use the strategy to manage a stressor [17,28,29], and individual mental health and well-being [30]; approach coping strategies are typically more effective for stress management than avoidance coping strategies, and can be heuristically described as adaptive coping strategies for the current study [30]. Despite growing interest in supporting PSP mental health and well-being, there is very little research on the strategies PSP use to cope with PPTEs. A recent structured review and meta-analysis [21] found no clear evidence of a universally effective approach to develop or enhance adaptive coping strategies in PSP populations. The current study focused on identifying adaptive coping strategies PSP report using in response to repeated exposures to occupational (i.e., operational and organizational) stressors
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 callMore From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Disclaimer: 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.
