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Traumatology
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Personality, Coping and Posttraumatic Growth in Emergency Ambulance Personnel

Jane Shakespeare-Finch

School of Psychology, University Of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1342, Launceston, TAS, 7250, AUSTRALIA, Jane.ShakespeareFinch{at}utas.edu.au

Kathryn Gow

Queensland University of Technology

Sandy Smith

University of Chicago

Inherent in emergency service work is a relatively high level of exposure to potentially traumatic experiences. Traditionally, research has examined the negative or pathological effects that trauma may have on individuals, as well as variables that are proposed to influence post-trauma outcomes, for example, personality, coping, organisational and demographic factors. In recent years, empirical post-trauma research has broadened its scope to investigate positive changes that may also occur following the experience of a traumatic event. This study examines personality and coping variables in relation to levels of posttraumatic growth (PTG) in emergency ambulance personnel (N = 526). Correlations revealed that extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and coping levels significantly relate to perceptions of PTG. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the relationship between personality and PTG is largely mediated by levels of coping. Implications of the research include the tailoring of intervention strategies to differing personalities rather than according to the nature of the event itself.

Key Words: trauma • posttraumatic growth • emergency service work • personality • coping • ambulance • paramedic

Traumatology, Vol. 11, No. 4, 325-334 (2005)
DOI: 10.1177/153476560501100410
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