Protective factors of psychological vulnerability in Rescue 1122 workers with vicarious traumatization

Bushra Shafiq; Hidna Iqbal; Anam Ali

doi:10.5055/jem.0806

Authors

Bushra Shafiq, MS
Hidna Iqbal, MS
Anam Ali, MS https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3842-8702

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.0806

Keywords:

work mattering, coping, grittiness, distress, Rescue 1122 workers, vicarious traumatization

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the protective factors of psychological vulnerability in Rescue 1122 workers and to find out the difference in work mattering, coping, grittiness, and psychological vulnerability between rescue workers of fire service and ambulance service department with vicarious traumatization.

Method: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. A sample of 112 male rescue workers was collected from Rescue 1122 department, including participants from the ambulance service (n = 56) and fire service (n = 56) departments through a purposive sampling technique. Rescue workers who experienced vicarious trauma were enrolled in this study after screening through the secondary traumatic stress tool. Work mattering scale, coping strategies questionnaire, short grit scale, and the four-dimensional symptom questionnaire were used.

Results: Age, marital status, spouse age, and father’s age were significantly positively correlated with distress. Colleagues becoming a target of violence and death of a colleague during duty were significantly positively correlated with somatization. The number of children was a significant positive predictor, and members requiring financial support were a significant negative predictor of psychological vulnerability. Interpersonal mattering, active focused, and active distracting coping emerged as significant negative predictors of distress, anxiety, and depression after controlling for covariates. A significant difference was found in active distraction coping between the fire service and ambulance service departments.

Conclusion: Rescue workers who considered that their work mattered used religious coping and distraction or adopted a practical approach toward dealing with stress, and those who were grittier were less vulnerable to psychological symptoms. So, these can be considered as protective factors of psychological vulnerability.

Author Biographies

Bushra Shafiq, MS

Department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Child Health Sciences: The Children’s Hospital (UCHS-CH), Lahore, Pakistan

Hidna Iqbal, MS

Center for Clinical Psychology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan

Anam Ali, MS

Department of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Child Health Sciences: The Children’s Hospital (UCHS-CH), Lahore, Pakistan

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