Can Firefighters’ Mental Health Be Predicted by Emotional Intelligence and Proactive Coping?

Abstract

The present study explores emotional intelligence and proactive coping as possible protective factors for both a group of paid-professional firefighters (n = 94) and a group of similar comparison participants (n = 91). Each respondent completed the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, Symptom Checklist 90-Revised, Emotional Intelligence Scale, and Proactive Coping Scale. Using an exploratory/liberal Type 1 error rate (α ≤ .10), our results suggested that for firefighters emotional intelligence negatively predicted self-reported traumatic stress (β = −.198), while proactive coping negatively predicted several other mental health symptoms (obsessive-compulsive β = −.192, depression β = −.220, anxiety β = −.295). For the comparison participants, the pattern of results was substantially different from the firefighters in that emotional intelligence negatively predicted several mental health symptoms (interpersonal sensitivity β = − .465, depression β = − .239, anxiety β = −.269, hostility β = −.349) and proactive coping only predicted a lack of psychoticism (β = −.216).

Acknowledgments

Special thanks is extended to all of the firefighters and community members who agreed to participate in this study as well as to the fire chiefs and union executives who provided ongoing support to the research program.

Notes

Note. Regressions with model and variable outcomes ≤.10 are italicized.

Note. Regressions with model and variable outcomes ≤.10 are italicized.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shannon L. Wagner

Shannon L. Wagner is an associate professor in the School of Health Sciences at the University of Northern British Columbia as well as a registered psychologist working in private practice. Her primary areas of research include disability management, family-work interface, and occupational mental health, especially as it relates to traumatic stress.

Crystal A. Martin

Crystal A. Martin is the clinical coordinator for the Northern Health Assessment Network and a graduate of the Master's of Disability Management, University of Northern British Columbia. Her primary areas of research are disability and case management.