TITLE:
Dissociating First Responder Trauma: Examining Patterns of Self-Reported Trauma Exposures in Single-Role Firefighters and Paramedics
AUTHORS:
Leah Siwinski, Philip A. Blankenship
KEYWORDS:
First Responders, Firefighters, Paramedics, Trauma Exposure, PTSD, Professional Quality of Life
JOURNAL NAME:
Psychology,
Vol.15 No.6,
June
27,
2024
ABSTRACT: Background: Estimates suggest the prevalence rate of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) amongst first responders ranges from 3.9% to 32% when compared to the 6.8% - 7.8% prevalence rate in non-first responders. While firefighters and paramedics fall under the label of first responder, the specific duties of single role paramedics and single role firefighters are significantly different. These role differences may be associated with differences in the frequency and intensity of traumas experienced. Moreover, patterns of trauma exposure may differentially influence a first responder’s professional quality of life as it relates to constructs like compassion satisfaction and burnout. Purpose/Aim: The current study examines whether dissociable patterns in the frequency of traumas experienced, levels of PTSD symptomology, or professional quality of life factors are observed between single-role firefighters and single-role paramedics. Method: The current study utilized multiple assessment tools, including the PCL, LEC-5, and ProQOL, to quantify trauma experiences and domains of professional quality of life between single-role firefighters and single-role paramedics. A series of independent-samples t-tests were used to examine group differences. Results: No significant differences were observed for PCL scores; however, 30.5% of respondents reported scores consistent with a provisional PTSD diagnosis. In contrast, LEC scores reflected significantly higher numbers of traumas experienced by paramedics than firefighters. Further, paramedics reported significantly lower levels of compassion satisfaction and significantly higher levels of burnout compared to firefighters. Conclusion: These results add to a limited, but growing body of literature differentiating the patterns of trauma experienced by specific first-responder roles and necessitate further study to understand the mechanisms for these differences and suggest that treatment of trauma exposure should be shaped to reflect the specificity of a first responder’s role.