Social support, self-efficacy and trauma in new recruits and experienced firefighters

This study compared new fire recruits in the first week of employment and following a 10-week training period with a group of experienced firefighters. Results suggest that new firefighter recruits enter the fire service with considerable experience of exposure to critical events. Nevertheless, a significant linear relationship was found between years of experience and levels of traumatic stress and depression. Further, this study revealed that experienced firefighters had lower levels of social support and lower self-efficacy than the new recruits. As these variables were associated with traumatic stress and depressive symptoms, it is concerning that these Protective factors appear to diminish with time. Copyright (C) 2003 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.