TY - JOUR
T1 - The Moderating Effect of Coping Behaviors on Posttraumatic Stress and First Responder Romantic Relationships
AU - Rennebohm, Samuel B.
AU - Dolezal, Michael L.
AU - Bentley, Jacob A.
AU - Edwards-Stewart, Amanda
AU - Thoburn, John W.
AU - Holguin, Jeff
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 American Psychological Association
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - First responders have an increased risk of vocational trauma exposure, with a potentially adverse effect on the quality of their romantic relationships. The present study evaluates stress and strain models with regard to the link between posttraumatic stress (PTS) and perceived romantic relationship quality in a sample of first responders (N = 93). Participants were recruited from two urban fire departments in the Pacific Northwest, and data were collected via an online survey. In addition to evaluating the direct relationship between PTS and romantic relationship quality, the study also evaluated four coping variables as moderators in order to better understand conditions under which PTS effects relationship quality. Results indicated that more PTS symptoms were associated with lower romantic relationship quality (r = −.39, p <.01), with at least partial support for the buffering effect of all four coping variables. There was a significant interaction effect with regard to adaptive emotion-focused coping (AEFC; b =.07, p <.01, 95% CI [0.00– 0.05]). The strength and significance of the association between PTS and romantic relationship quality also varied depending on the level of the three other coping variables: Problem-focused, maladaptive emotion-focused, and emotional support.
AB - First responders have an increased risk of vocational trauma exposure, with a potentially adverse effect on the quality of their romantic relationships. The present study evaluates stress and strain models with regard to the link between posttraumatic stress (PTS) and perceived romantic relationship quality in a sample of first responders (N = 93). Participants were recruited from two urban fire departments in the Pacific Northwest, and data were collected via an online survey. In addition to evaluating the direct relationship between PTS and romantic relationship quality, the study also evaluated four coping variables as moderators in order to better understand conditions under which PTS effects relationship quality. Results indicated that more PTS symptoms were associated with lower romantic relationship quality (r = −.39, p <.01), with at least partial support for the buffering effect of all four coping variables. There was a significant interaction effect with regard to adaptive emotion-focused coping (AEFC; b =.07, p <.01, 95% CI [0.00– 0.05]). The strength and significance of the association between PTS and romantic relationship quality also varied depending on the level of the three other coping variables: Problem-focused, maladaptive emotion-focused, and emotional support.
KW - coping
KW - first responders
KW - posttraumatic stress
KW - romantic relationships
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U2 - 10.1037/cfp0000165
DO - 10.1037/cfp0000165
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85126746100
SN - 2160-4096
VL - 12
SP - 1
EP - 10
JO - Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
JF - Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice
IS - 1
ER -