Author(s)

Gemma M. Isaac, Marla J. Buchanan^*

Faculty of Education, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

Firefighters are exposed to highly stressful environments, often witnessing multiple traumatic events throughout their careers. The cumulation of stress and traumas firefighters are exposed to have left many in the profession with physical and psychological injuries, and with such injuries left untreated, can lead to lifelong suffering or suicide. The primary objectives for this research investigate firefighter occupational stress, peer support, and attitudes towards help-seeking for mental health in the hopes to fill in gaps understanding why firefighters continue to suffer in silence. Employing a mixed-methods research design, a survey questionnaire was collected from 254 firefighters from a large fire department in British Columbia, Canada. Consistent with the existing literature, findings suggest that the levels of peer support mitigated occupational stress, that is, those who reported higher levels of peer support also reported lower occupational stress levels. Firefighters provided information on what types of support they prefer according to the types and severity of stressors. Suggestions from the respondents provide information on how barriers to receiving help, such as stigma, may be addressed at the organizational level. Implications and recommendations for interventions addressing stigma and help-seeking amongst firefighters are discussed.

Occupational Stress, Peer Support, Worker Attitudes

Isaac, G. and Buchanan, M. (2021) Extinguishing Stigma among Firefighters: An Examination of Stress, Social Support, and Help-Seeking Attitudes. Psychology, 12, 349-373. doi: 10.4236/psych.2021.123023.