Stress and coping strategies among firefighters and recruits

Abstract

This study compared psychological distress and coping strategies for three different permanent firefighter groups in South-East Queensland, Australia: recruits (n=42), on-shift firefighters (n=51), and firefighters who had recently attended one of 13 fatal incidents (n=52). Older firefighters reported more general distress but no increase in post-traumatic stress symptoms. Coping strategies tended to be associated with higher distress and post-traumatic stress, but once this general tendency was taken into account, seeking instrumental support was associated with lower post-traumatic stress symptoms. Results support previous findings that cumulative exposure and events outside work contribute to distress in firefighters.