Occupational Stress and Suicidality Among Firefighters: Examining the Buffering Role of Distress Tolerance

Over the past several years, research has identified firefighters to be an occupational group at increased risk for suicide (see Stanley, Hom,& Joiner, 2016, for review). One study of 1,027 male and female career and volunteer firefighters throughout the United States (U.S.) found rates of suicide ideation and attempts occurring throughout one's career as a firefighter (i.e., career rates) to be 46.8% and 15.5%, respectively (Stanley et al., 2015). Similarly, a separate investigation of female firefighters found elevated rates of suicidality, with 37.7% reporting career suicide ideation and 3.5% reporting a career suicide attempt (Stanley et al., 2017a).

Source: Psychiatry Research - May 24, 2018 Category: Psychiatry Authors: Ian H. Stanley, Joseph W. Boffa, Lia J. Smith, Jana K. Tran, N. Brad Schmidt, Thomas E. Joiner, Anka A. Vujanovic Source Type: research