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FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH IN PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS IN SOUTH FLORIDA

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Date Issued:
2021
Summary:
The purpose of this study was to explore several personal and work-related variables associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) levels in professional firefighters employed in a large fire district in south Florida. First, the researcher identified common factors in professional firefighting research that were associated with PTG in firefighters (independent variables: perceived supervisor support, occupational stress, coping style, and sense of belongingness). Second, the researcher determined if there was a significant relationship between these independent variables and the dependent variable (PTG). Then the researcher examined whether demographic variables identified from the literature moderated PTG in professional firefighters, such as: number of years of service, trauma history, and military history prior to joining the fire service. The sample consisted of 63 firefighters in a large Fire District in south Florida. The sample size was small and underpowered, and the response rate was low due to the concurrent eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic during the data collection period. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, internal consistency, range, and bivariate correlations) and multiple regression with hierarchical entry were used to test the six proposed hypotheses. The results indicated that perceived supervisor support had a statistically significant relationship with PTG levels in the sample (p = .027). Two of the controlling variables, prior trauma and military history, showed contradictory effects than was indicated in prior research. The present study’s sample reported lower incidences of prior trauma and military history prior to joining the fire service. Clinical implications, ideas for future research, practice, and policy were discussed.
Title: FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH POSTTRAUMATIC GROWTH IN PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS IN SOUTH FLORIDA.
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Name(s): Benfield, Diane, author
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
School of Social Work
College of Social Work and Criminal Justice
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2021
Date Issued: 2021
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 142 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: The purpose of this study was to explore several personal and work-related variables associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) levels in professional firefighters employed in a large fire district in south Florida. First, the researcher identified common factors in professional firefighting research that were associated with PTG in firefighters (independent variables: perceived supervisor support, occupational stress, coping style, and sense of belongingness). Second, the researcher determined if there was a significant relationship between these independent variables and the dependent variable (PTG). Then the researcher examined whether demographic variables identified from the literature moderated PTG in professional firefighters, such as: number of years of service, trauma history, and military history prior to joining the fire service. The sample consisted of 63 firefighters in a large Fire District in south Florida. The sample size was small and underpowered, and the response rate was low due to the concurrent eruption of the COVID-19 pandemic during the data collection period. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations, internal consistency, range, and bivariate correlations) and multiple regression with hierarchical entry were used to test the six proposed hypotheses. The results indicated that perceived supervisor support had a statistically significant relationship with PTG levels in the sample (p = .027). Two of the controlling variables, prior trauma and military history, showed contradictory effects than was indicated in prior research. The present study’s sample reported lower incidences of prior trauma and military history prior to joining the fire service. Clinical implications, ideas for future research, practice, and policy were discussed.
Identifier: FA00013670 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (PhD)--Florida Atlantic University, 2021.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): Fire fighters
Posttraumatic growth
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Sublocation: Digital Library
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013670
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
Use and Reproduction: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.