Mindfulness-based Interventions to Improve Relational and Mental Health of Firefighters: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study

AbstractPrevious research on the physical and mental health of firefighters indicates higher risk of coronary disease, stroke, cancer, hearing loss, and decreased mobility, as well as suicide risk, depression, anxiety, and substance use than in the general population. In spite of this, there is minimal research available on evidence-based interventions to reduce the impact of high-stress and high-trauma work on the mental health and well-being of firefighters. In collaboration with the Salt Lake City Fire Department, we conducted a feasibility study to understand how psychological resilience training influences the mental and social health of firefighters. A pre-intervention survey (n  = 186) provided baseline data on firefighters’ mental health and wellbeing. Domains measured were depression, anxiety, stress, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, suicide risk, willingness to attend couple’s therapy, and quality of life. Three hundred firefighters then received t hree 90-minute training sessions on MindShield™, a newly-developed trauma-informed, mindfulness-based intervention. Analysis of measurement instrument completion rates suggests firefighters were amenable to the process, though concerns about data privacy may have inhibited response on certain inst ruments. Qualitative data derived from four post-intervention focus groups (n = 33) informed recommendations for future intervention delivery: shorter training sessions, leaving the training with a ta...
Source: Clinical Social Work Journal - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Source Type: research