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Social Support, Self-efficacy, Trauma and Well-Being in Emergency Medical Dispatchers

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  • Jane Shakespeare-Finch
  • Amanda Rees
  • Deanne Armstrong

Abstract

Emergency medical dispatchers (EMDs) respond to crisis calls for ambulance; they dispatch paramedics and provide emotional and medical assistance to callers. Despite the stressful nature and exposure to potentially traumatising events in this role, there has been no published research specifically investigating well-being or posttraumatic growth among EMDs. Extrapolating from research conducted among other emergency services workers (e.g., paramedics, police), literature attests to the importance of self efficacy and social support in promoting mental health in emergency service workers. Therefore, this study assessed the impact of self efficacy, and giving and receiving social support on psychological well-being, posttraumatic growth (PTG), and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sixty EMDs (50 % response rate) completed an online questionnaire. Three hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to ascertain predictors of well-being, PTG and PTSD. Receiving social support emerged as a significant positive predictor of well-being and PTG, and a significant negative predictor of PTSD. Self efficacy was found to significantly and positively predict well-being, and shift-work was found to significantly and negatively predict PTSD. These results highlight that self efficacy and receiving social support are likely to be important for enhancing well-being within this population, and that receiving social support is also likely to facilitate positive post-trauma responses. Such findings have implications for the way emergency service personnel are educated with reference to aspects of mental health and how best to support personnel in order to achieve optimal mental health outcomes for all. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2015

Suggested Citation

  • Jane Shakespeare-Finch & Amanda Rees & Deanne Armstrong, 2015. "Social Support, Self-efficacy, Trauma and Well-Being in Emergency Medical Dispatchers," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 123(2), pages 549-565, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:soinre:v:123:y:2015:i:2:p:549-565
    DOI: 10.1007/s11205-014-0749-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Edward Deci & Richard Ryan, 2008. "Hedonia, eudaimonia, and well-being: an introduction," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, January.
    2. Elvira Cicognani & Luca Pietrantoni & Luigi Palestini & Gabriele Prati, 2009. "Emergency Workers’ Quality of Life: The Protective Role of Sense of Community, Efficacy Beliefs and Coping Strategies," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 94(3), pages 449-463, December.
    3. Stephens, Christine & Long, Nigel & Miller, Ian, 1997. "The impact of trauma and social support on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A study of New Zealand police officers," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 303-314.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mi Young Choi, 2020. "Mental and Physical Factors Influencing Wellbeing among South Korean Emergency Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Lorraine Smith-MacDonald & Liana Lentz & David Malloy & Suzette Brémault-Phillips & R. Nicholas Carleton, 2021. "Meat in a Seat: A Grounded Theory Study Exploring Moral Injury in Canadian Public Safety Communicators, Firefighters, and Paramedics," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Feng Kong & Kairong Yang & Wenjing Yan & Xuewen Li, 2021. "How Does Trait Gratitude Relate to Subjective Well-Being in Chinese Adolescents? The Mediating Role of Resilience and Social Support," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 1611-1622, April.
    4. Marta Makara-Studzińska & Maciej Załuski & Katarzyna Adamczyk, 2021. "Burnout and Perceived Stress of Polish Emergency Call Takers and Dispatchers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-16, September.

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