Coping Strategies for Exposure to Trauma Situations in First Responders: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present work was to characterize the coping strategies used by first responders to emergencies in the face of exposure to traumatic events. Methods: A systematic search was performed in the databases MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences), and the Cochrane Central Registry of Controlled Clinical Trials (CENTRAL) from their inception through February 2022. First responders to emergencies with training in the prehospital area and who used validated measurement instruments for coping strategies were included. Results: First responders to emergencies frequently used nonadaptive coping strategies, with avoidance or disconnection being one of the main strategies, as a tool to avoid confronting difficult situations and to downplay the perceived stressful event. The nonadaptive coping strategies used by these personnel showed a strong relationship with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, burnout syndrome, psychiatric morbidity, and chronic stress. As part of the adaptive strategies, active coping was found, which includes acceptance, positive reinterpretation, focusing on the problem, self-efficacy, and emotional support, either social or instrumental, as protective strategies for these personnel. Conclusions: Developing adaptive coping strategies, whether focused on problems or seeking emotional support, can benefit emergency personnel in coping with stressful situations. These coping strategies should be strengthened to help prevent people from experiencing long-term negative effects that could arise from the traumatic events to which they are exposed. Active coping strategies instead of avoidance strategies should be promoted.

Surviving the Inferno in Hopes of Reuniting with Family": Coping Strategies among Civilian Abductees Released from Captivity in Gaza

“…Research on individuals who have endured signi cant trauma reveals a variety of coping mechanisms [34]. One notable such mechanism is "engagement coping", according to which individuals proactively take charge by staying active and busy and employing problem-focused strategies such as planning and active coping [34,35]. In captivity, individuals are stripped of nearly all their autonomy and are at the mercy of their captors regarding their location, activities, and diet.…”

Coping and Quality of Life Differences between Emergency and Rehabilitation Healthcare Workers

“…Today, coping is considered to be an adaptive and dynamic process, as it is expressed in the interaction and reciprocal influence between the individual and the environment [ 17 , 18 ]. Coping strategies refer to the ways in which people cope with and manage different situations [ 19 , 20 ]. They can assume functional or dysfunctional valence, and when becoming stable, they characterize the personal style with which people typically cope with situations in everyday life [ 21 , 22 ].…”

Supporting emergency service workers to cope with critical incidents that can lead to psychological burden at work - developing skills in the Post Critical Incident Seminar: a qualitative interview study

“…It has been noted that instead of seeking professional help, emergency service workers may try to help themselves in other ways, mostly through maladaptive methods, such as avoiding recurring feelings and thoughts about the incidents they faced, which leads to psychological burden and the development of mental disorders [ 13 ]. Moreover, drinking has been found to be a way of coping after experiencing an incident that cause psychological burden [ 14 ], but it is associated with poor performance and other alcohol-related health concerns [ 15 ].…”

“…Additionally, for example, the level of resources at the work unit level, meaning support, tools, and strategies available in a workplace, can affect the psychological responses to experienced incidents and drinking to cope [ 14 ]. According to a recent systematic review [ 13 ], adaptive, active coping strategies could be protective for emergency service workers, including acceptance, positive reinterpretation, focusing on the problem, self-efficacy, and social or instrumental emotional support. However, these are not sufficiently utilised, so the skills needed to utilise these strategies should be strengthened [ 13 ].…”

“…According to a recent systematic review [ 13 ], adaptive, active coping strategies could be protective for emergency service workers, including acceptance, positive reinterpretation, focusing on the problem, self-efficacy, and social or instrumental emotional support. However, these are not sufficiently utilised, so the skills needed to utilise these strategies should be strengthened [ 13 ].…”