Psychiatry Investig.  2018 May;15(5):452-459. 10.30773/pi.2017.11.08.1.

The Benefits of Indirect Exposure to Trauma: The Relationships among Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth, Social Support, and Resilience in Ambulance Personnel in China

• Kang X
• Fang Y
• Li S
• Liu Y
• Zhao D
• Feng X
• Wang Y
• Li P

• KMID: 2462784
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2017.11.08.1

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
Ambulance personnel who witness trauma experienced by patients have been reported to experience positive changes, known as vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG). We examined VPTG and its relationship with social support and resilience among ambulance personnel.
METHODS
The sample (n=227) was recruited from six emergency centers in China. The measures included the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10). Structure Equation Modeling (SEM) and the bootstrapping procedure were used to examine indirect effects.
RESULTS
The participants' mean score for VPTG was 68.96 (SD=15.51). Social support had significant direct effects on resilience (β=0.51, p < 0.001) and VPTG (β=0.25, p=0.001), and resilience (β=0.58, p < 0.001) had a significant direct effect on VPTG. Furthermore, social support had a significant indirect effect (0.51×0.58=0.30, p < 0.001) on VPTG through resilience.
CONCLUSION
Although the nature of the work of ambulance personnel is not expected to change, the negative effects of the trauma they encounter can be reduced by providing them with more support resources and interventions to foster their resilience, which in turn, promote VPTG.

Keyword

Vicarious posttraumatic growth; Ambulance personnel; Structural Equation Modeling; Resilience; Social support

MeSH Terms

Ambulances*
China*
Emergencies
Humans