title: Predictors of postevent distress and growth among firefighters after work-related emergencies--A cross-national study.
abstract: Firefighters may experience posttraumatic stress symptomatology (i.e., postevent distress) as a consequence of exposure to work-related distressing incidents. However, positive psychological changes (i.e., postevent growth) should also be taken into account. The aim of this cross-national study was to investigate both postevent distress and growth in firefighters following distressing incidents. A sample of 1,916 firefighters from 8 predominantly European countries recalled a work-related distressing incident. Two hierarchical regression analyses were run to reveal predictors of postevent distress and growth, respectively. Predictors included person pre-event characteristics, objective (e.g., type of incident, time since incident, fatalities) and subjective (e.g., perceived life-threat, peri-event distress, most distressing aspect) incident features, and the participant's country. Postevent distress was measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and growth by the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form (PTGI-SF). The final models explained 29% of the variation in postevent distress and 26% in growth. Postevent distress and growth were predicted by different variables. Country differences were found after controlling for all other variables. Further research is needed to explain these differences.
authors.affiliation: Department Health and Prevention.
authors.forename: Doris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kehl
authors.affiliation: Department Health and Prevention.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knuth
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematical Sciences, Fire Safety Engineering Group, University of Greenwich.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hulse
authors.affiliation: Department Health and Prevention.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schmidt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003469:Culture; D004630:Emergencies / Q000523:psychology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D061388:Firefighters / Q000523:psychology*; D005390:Fires; D006801:Humans; D038622:Internationality; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011581:Psychological Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D057566:Self Report; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology