O que vem após o trauma? estresse e crescimento pós-traumático em bombeiros militares

Abstract

In occupational contexts where emergency and rescue professionals experience on a daily basis potentially traumatic events, which may trigger both negative and positive outcomes, it is crucial that studies focus on investigating the potential effects on firefighters' mental health. Based on this premise, the general objective of this research is to analyze the manifestation of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Growth as possible outcomes of the potentially traumatic events experienced by firefighters. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was used, divided into two studies. In Study 1, a literature review was conducted to synthesize and critically examine recent studies on Post-Traumatic Growth among firefighters, published between 2017 and 2024. A total of 10 articles were selected from the Web of Science, Scopus, Medline via PubMed, Lilacs via BVS, and Scielo databases. This review identified the characterization and prevalence of Post-Traumatic Growth, the correlation between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and the phenomenon, factors contributing to the development of Post-Traumatic Growth, and interventions related to this phenomenon. In Study 2, a quantitative approach was employed. Data were collected using a Sociodemographic Questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale – Revised (IES-R), the Brazilian version of the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI-B), the Perceived Social Support Scale (EPSS), and the Organizational Support Perception Scale (EPSO) from 83 firefighters across four different battalions of the Military Fire Brigade in Bahia. This study aimed to analyze the role of social and organizational support in the potential outcomes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in firefighters who experienced a potentially traumatic event in their work environment. Descriptive statistical methods, internal consistency analysis, t tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and linear regression were applied. The results of this study indicated that firefighters had a low mean of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, while Post-Traumatic Growth showed a moderate mean. Social support had a significant and moderate association with Post-Traumatic Growth. In contrast, organizational support had a weak and significant association with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Regarding sociodemographic variables, only the race variable had a significant effect in relation to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which was not observed in relation to the Post-Traumatic Growth phenomenon. In addition, a moderate and significant association was observed between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Post-Traumatic Growth, suggesting that traumatic events can generate suffering, but also positive changes. In short, the dissertation contributed by presenting a critical update of recent studies on Post-Traumatic Growth in firefighters and an analysis of the effects of protective factors in relation to possible negative and positive outcomes after exposure to potentially traumatic events.