Citation

Wagner SL, Pasca R, Regehr C. J. Loss Trauma 2019; 24(3): 238-250.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/15325024.2018.1525035

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Firefighters (N = 186) from two urban centers completed a set of questionnaires measuring empathy, traumatic stress, mental distress, aggression, world assumptions, and personality. Response rate was 81.5%. Both traumatic stress and mental distress were associated with higher use of emotional empathy. Emotional empathy was also related to anger, aggression, and sense of self-worth, as well as worldviews that included benevolence and meaningfulness. Of the big five personality traits, only neuroticism was associated with emotional empathy. Emotional empathy appears to be a substantial contributor to increased traumatic and general mental distress in firefighters.

Language: en

Keywords

emergency service; empathy; Firefighter; mental health