RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, D02 YN77 Dublin, Ireland.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 8;19(24):16492. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416492.
First responders, such as paramedics and firefighters, encounter duty-related traumatic exposures, which can lead to post-traumatic stress (PTS). Although social support protects against PTS, we know little about how first responders' families, spouses/partners, friends, and care-partners (i.e., 'trusted others') provide social support. This narrative review explores support behaviors, coping strategies, and resources trusted others use to support first responders. A structured literature search yielded 24 articles. We used House's (1981) conceptual framework to inform our analysis. We identified three main themes: providing support, finding support, and support needs. Additionally, we describe trusted others' self-reported preparedness, coping strategies, and barriers to providing social support. We found that trusted others provided different types of support: (a) emotional (fostering a safe space, giving autonomy over recovery, facilitating coping mechanisms, prioritizing first responders' emotional needs); (b) instrumental (prioritizing first responders' practical needs, handling household tasks, supporting recovery); (c) appraisal (active monitoring, verbal reassurance, positive reframing), and (d) informational (seeking informal learning). In their role, trusted others sought formal (organizational) and informal (peer and personal) support and resources, alongside intrapersonal and interpersonal coping strategies. Identified barriers include inadequate communication skills, maladaptive coping, and disempowering beliefs. Thus, we offer practical, treatment, and social support recommendations.
急救人员，如护理人员和消防员，会遇到与职责相关的创伤暴露，这可能导致创伤后应激障碍（PTS）。尽管社会支持可以预防 PTS，但我们对急救人员的家属、配偶/伴侣、朋友和照顾者（即“可信赖的人”）如何提供社会支持知之甚少。本叙述性综述探讨了可信赖的人用来支持急救人员的支持行为、应对策略和资源。通过结构化文献检索得到了 24 篇文章。我们使用了 House（1981）的概念框架来指导我们的分析。我们确定了三个主要主题：提供支持、寻找支持和支持需求。此外，我们还描述了可信赖的人自我报告的准备情况、应对策略以及提供社会支持的障碍。我们发现，可信赖的人提供了不同类型的支持：（a）情感支持（营造安全空间、给予恢复自主权、促进应对机制、优先考虑急救人员的情感需求）；（b）工具性支持（优先考虑急救人员的实际需求、处理家务、支持恢复）；（c）评估支持（积极监测、口头保证、积极重塑）和（d）信息支持（寻求非正式学习）。在他们的角色中，可信赖的人寻求正式（组织）和非正式（同行和个人）支持和资源，以及个人内部和人际应对策略。确定的障碍包括沟通技巧不足、适应不良的应对方式和剥夺权力的信念。因此，我们提供了实用的、治疗的和社会支持建议。
