This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Paton, D. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Posttraumatic growth in protective services professionals: Individual, cognitive and organizational influences

School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, Douglas.Paton{at}utas.edu.au

Protective service (e.g., police, fire, EMT) professionals face repeated exposure to traumatic events throughout their careers. Although typically linked to pathological outcomes, research has identified sustained positive benefits and posttraumatic growth as consistent posttrauma outcomes in emergency workers. The fact that critical incident experience can result in both adverse and positive outcomes provides organizations with the potential to make choices regarding these outcomes. Increasing the likelihood of posttraumatic growth outcomes requires identifying the mechanisms by which such outcomes are secured. Drawing upon data from studies examining the role of personality, cognitive and organizational factors, this paper reviews evidence for posttraumatic growth in emergency workers. By identifying resources whose availability can be influenced by organizational practices (e.g., selection, training, organizational change), the basis for a primary prevention strategy for managing traumatic stress risk that prepares officers for future involvement in traumatic incidents is discussed.

Key Words: posttraumatic growth • emergency work • personality • meaning • organizational culture

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?