COPING STYLES AND SOCIAL SUPPORT IN EMERGENCY WORKERS: FAMILY AS A RESOURCE

Abstract

The nature of the job of people working in emergency situations is such that they may experience high levels of stress. The study analyses the relationship between social support and coping in 182 Emergency Service professionals of three professional categories operating in dangerous situations: military, frontier police and firemen. The research confirms the relationship between coping and social support, emphasising the importance of the family source. The results also confirm what has been reported in literature about the prevalence of situational coping for professionals working in emergency situations. In this area, such research may provide a base for developing stress management programs in emergencies and for protecting and reinforcing the wellness of emergency workers, who, in turn, are victims as well.