Abstract
First responders (FRs) frequently face traumatic incidents, which can lead to posttraumatic stress, emotional exhaustion, and decreased job performance. Although tactical teams are more vulnerable to trauma-related mental health problems, there is limited research on how perceived trauma and coping self-efficacy influence perceived barriers to seeking help. PURPOSE: To assess perceived trauma exposure, symptom severity, coping self-efficacy, and help-seeking barriers among U.S. FRs. METHODS: A nationwide online survey was distributed via email and social media to recruit active FRs. The survey collected demographic data, years of service, trauma exposure, the PTSD Diagnostic Scale for DSM-5 (PDS-5), and the Firefighter Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (FFCSE). Additional questions focused on coping strategies and barriers to seeking psychological help. Descriptive statistics summarized demographics, trauma exposure, and symptoms. FRs were grouped by service years: under 20 and 20 or more. Trauma exposure variables, such as combat-related identification (yes/no), were compared between groups using Chi-square tests, with effect sizes assessed by Cramer’s V (small: ≥ 0.10, medium: ≥ 0.30, large: ≥ 0.50). Analyses used p ≤ 0.05 as the significance threshold. RESULTS: Analyses explored links between years of service (< 20 yr vs. ≥ 20 yr) and trauma-related or coping self-efficacy variables. A significant link was found between combat trauma identification and service years, χ²(1, N = 34) = 4.63, p = 0.031, V = 0.37, with those under 20 more likely to identify combat trauma. A similar pattern appeared for self-efficacy in helping injured people, χ²(2, N = 23) = 6.73, p = 0.035, V = 0.54, with less experienced respondents rating themselves lower, while those with 20+ years rated higher. Perceived occupational competence also differed by experience, χ²(4, N = 22) = 9.61, p = 0.048, V = 0.66, with more experienced participants reporting greater competence. Despite some cells below 5, significance was confirmed by likelihood-ratio tests (p ≤ 0.05). These results suggest that career length influences trauma recognition and coping self-efficacy among first responders. CONCLUSION: Career length affects how FRs perceive trauma and their confidence in managing it. More experienced personnel tend to feel more capable, whereas those with less experience are more likely to perceive trauma and feel less self-efficacious. These results underscore the importance of early, customized interventions to enhance coping confidence and lower obstacles to accessing mental health support among FRs.
Recommended Citation
Caniz, Pedro; Khanhkham, Ashley; Martin, Steven E.; Colvin, Lisa C.; Conner, Michael; and Gonzalez, Drew
(2026)
"Impacts of Perceived Trauma on Occupational Performance Among Firefighters and Law Enforcement Officers,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 16.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/16