Factors Affecting Fire Officers' Posttraumatic Growth

Purpose: This descriptive study was conducted to determine whether traumatic event experiences, posttraumatic stress, resilience, intentional rumination, and social support affect posttraumatic growth in fire officers.Methods: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 204 fire officers working in field dispatch fields, such as fire suppression, rescue, and first aid, for more than 6 months. A structured self-report questionnaire was distributed, and responses from 189 people were analyzed. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, the Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis using the SPSS 27.0 program.Results: Fire officers' posttraumatic growth was affected significantly by deliberate rumination (β=.59, <i>p</i><.001), resilience (β=.15, <i>p</i>=.025), and experience of counseling (β=-.12, <i>p</i>=.022). These factors explained 52.0% of the variance in posttraumatic growth, and the model fit was also significant (F=23.35, <i>p</i><.001).Conclusion: Developing a program to facilitate posttraumatic growth among fire officers is essential. Such a program should incorporate strategies that encourage deliberate rumination and strengthen resilience. Furthermore, the involvement of a psychological counseling expert is critical for ensuring comprehensive support for participants.