Resilience (R), the ability to adapt to and rebound from adversity, has been linked to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) susceptibility and to buffer against stressful events. Fitness has also been related to psychological health, thus it is of interest to examine whether R is related to personality and anxiety, as well as indices of fitness in firefighters (FFs), a group exposed to various stressors. PURPOSE: Examine R, personality, anxiety and fitness among recruit FFs. METHODS: Recruit FFs (N=145 males, 26.4±4.0 yrs, BMI=27.1±4.5) entering a 6-week FF training academy completed individual difference measures [e.g., Dispositional Resilience Scale (DRS-15), Trait Anxiety Inventory (TAI; 32.3±8.0), International Personality Item Pool 50 (IPIP-50)]. The DRS-15 provided a Total score (49.5±4.8) and subscores for Challenge (Ch: 13.9±2.4), Commitment (Cm: 17.6±2.1), and Control (Cl: 18.0±2.0). The 5 personality dimensions of Extraversion (E: 33.9±7.0), Emotional Stability (ES: 39.3±6.6), Conscientiousness (C: 38.8±4.7), Openness (O: 36.1±5.4), and Agreeableness (A: 40.0±5.2) were derived from the IPIP-50. RESULTS: Only C was associated with aerobic capacity (r= 0.20); no other fitness relationships were found. Significant (P<0.005) relationships were found between total R and TAI (r= -0.57) along with the personality dimensions of ES (r= 0.46), A (r= 0.38), O (r= 0.35), C (r= 0.35), and E (r= 0.24). Of the R subscales, Cm had the most consistent and strongest relationships with personality (rs= 0.30 - 0.57). CONCLUSIONS: Findings support the relationship between R (especially sense of Commitment) and personality, but not fitness, in these FFs. Including the relationship between anxiety and personality, levels of resilience may influence susceptibility to PTSD (i.e., interpretation of stressful events), symptom severity of PTSD, and recovery from PTSD. With respect to traumatic experiences encountered during firefighting, these relationships may aid in understanding how FFs handle stress.
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