A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Impact of Spousal Support on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in South Florida Firefighters

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the impact of spousal support on firefighters in South Florida who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Theory of Stress and Coping by Richard Lazarus proposed that stress occurs when situations are negatively interpreted, leading to health problems when adequate coping mechanisms are not utilized (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). The way in which an individual copes or changes the cognitive and behavioral efforts to manage specific external and/or internal demands influences mental and physical outcomes, including PTSD. This qualitative phenomenological design allowed participants to interpret their lived experiences as they shared how the support of a spouse impacted the ability to work through critical incidents affecting their PTSD, mental health, and physical health on a regular basis. South Florida firefighters with PTSD participated in one-on-one interviews and a virtual/in-person focus group. The results demonstrated that spouses positively impacted how firefighters interpreted the stress of critical incidents and chose to process them with the help of the support they received.