- NIMH R01 Award "Pathways of Risk and Resilience in Firefighter Recruits"
- Principal Investigators: Dr. Suzy Bird Gulliver and Dr. Rose T. Zimering
- Funding Period: 09/02/06 – 07/31/13
- Collaborators: Barbara Kamholz, Sandra Morissette, Jeff Knight, Jim Monroe, Erin Scott Daly, Michael Lyons, Dan King, Lynda King, Tom Carpenter, Eric Meyer and Nate Kimbrel
- Program Manager: Cindy Zavodny
- Post-doctoral Fellows: Marc Kruse, Yonit Schoor, Joseph VanderVeen, Anthony Giardina, and David Meyers
- Research Assistants: Christine Gillis, Christian Herwitz, Erin Keppel, Laurie Steffen, Amruta Mardikar, Samuel Reyna, Lisa Flynn, Ashley Devereux, Grace Carpenter, Michelle Pennington, Victoria Torres and Samantha Synett
Summary
Pathways of Risk and Resilience in Firefighter Recruits is a longitudinal assessment study funded by NIMH to prospectively identify the pathways to psychopathology as a response to potentially traumatic events, explore the temporal nature of the patterns of risk, recovery, relapse, and resilience, and test the ability of pre-employment variables to predict entry into one of the hypothesized pathways.
328 firefighter recruits were assessed upon entering the fire academy, every 4 months by phone, and in person once a year. Data analysis is ongoing. Preliminary results include the finding that trauma exposure, or frequency of PTEs, in and of itself did not predict psychopathology or symptomatology. However, “perceived social support, occupational stress, coping, as well as the interaction between perceived social support and self-blame were significant predictors of symptoms” (Meyer et al, 1, 2012). VanderVeen et al (2012) found that smoking relapse was significantly associated with greater weekly rates of drinking in firefighter recruits’ first year in fire service. Kruse et al (2011) explored the differences in drinking between firefighters who were veterans and those who were nonveterans. Veterans in fire service were more likely to drink to cope with negative emotions or thoughts when compared to nonveterans. Veterans were also more likely to drink significantly more per episode than nonveterans. Kruse et al (2010) also found that occupational stress was significantly associated with higher levels of drinking in the first year of fire service among all firefighter recruits.
Other important findings over the course of this study are not directly related to the specific aims. Kimbrel et al (2011) developed a modified instrument to measure occupational stress in firefighters. From the original 57-item Sources of Occupational Stress (SOOS) measure, Kimbrel et al tested a 14-item version of the SOOS. The internal consistency of the SOOS-14 was good (α = .82). Additional assessment development work is underway.
Firefighter Risk & Resilience Study Newsletters
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Publications
Gulliver, S. B., & Steffen, L. E. (2010). Towards integrated treatments for PTSD and substance use disorders. PTSD Research Quarterly, 21(2), 1-3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/e571962010-002
Kimbrel, N. A., Steffen, L. E., Meyer, E. C., Kruse, M. I., Knight, J. A., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2011). A revised measure of occupational stress for firefighters: Psychometric properties and relationship to posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and substance abuse. Psychological Services, 8(4), 294-306. doi:10.1037/a0025845
Kruse, M. I., Steffen, L. E., Kimbrel, N. A., & Gulliver, S. B. (2011). Co-Occurring PTSD and Substance Use Disorders. Psychosocial treatment of co-morbid Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Substance use Disorders. In B.A. Moore & W.E. Penk (Eds.) Handbook for the Treatment of PTSD in Military Personnel. New York: Guilford Press.
VanderVeen, J. W., Gulliver, S. B., Morissette, S. B., Kruse, M. I., Kamholz, B. W., Zimering, R. T., & ... Keane, T. M. (2012). Differences in drinking patterns, occupational stress, and exposure to potentially traumatic events among firefighters: Predictors of smoking relapse. The American Journal on Addictions, 21(6), 550-554. doi:10.1111/j.1521-0391.2012.00282.x
Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R., Carpenter, G. S., Giardina, A., & Farrar, J. (2014). The Psychological Consequences of Disaster. In P. Ouimmette & J. P. Read, Trauma and Substance Abuse: Causes, Consequences and Treatment of Comorbid Disasters (125-141). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Pennington, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Synett, S. J., Torres, V. A., Teague, J., Morissette, S. B., ... & Gulliver, S. B. (2018). The influence of exposure to natural disasters on depression and PTSD symptoms among firefighters. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 33(1), 102-108.
Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R. T., Knight, J., Morisette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Meyer, E. C., Keane, T.M., Pennington, M. L., Denman, T. C., Carpenter, T. P., & Kimbrel, N. A. (2018). Tobacco and Alcohol Use among Firefighters during their First Three Years of Service. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.
Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R. T., MacDonald, H. Z., Morissette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Daly, E. S., Lyons, M., Knight, J., & Keane, T. (submitted). PTSD and Substance Use Disorders in Firefighters: Risk and Resilience.
Pennington, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Synett, S. J., Torres, V. A., Teague, J., Morissette, S. B., ... & Gulliver, S. B. (2018). The influence of exposure to natural disasters on depression and PTSD symptoms among firefighters. Prehospital and disaster medicine, 33(1), 102-108
Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R., Knight, J., Morissette, S., Kamholz, B., Meyer, E., ... & Kimbrel, N. (2018). Tobacco and alcohol use among firefighters during their first 3 years of service. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 32(3), 255.
Gulliver, S. B., Pennington, M. L., Torres, V. A., Steffen, L. E., Mardikar, A., Leto, F., Ostiguy, W., Kimbrel, N. A., & Zimering, R. T., (2018). Behavioral Health Programs in Fire Service: Surveying Access and Preferences. Psychological Services.
Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R. T., Dobani, F., Pennington, M. L., Morissette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Knight, J. A., Keane, T. M., Kimbrel, N. A., Carpenter, T. P. & Meyer, E. C. (in press). Alcohol use and mental health symptoms in female firefighter recruits. Occupational Medicine.
Gulliver, S.B., Zimering, R.T., Knight, J., Morissette, S.B., Kamholz, B.W., Pennington, M.L., Dobani, F., Carpenter, T.B., Kimbrel, N.A., Keane, T.M., & Meyer, E.C. (in press). A prospective study of firefighters’ PTSD and depression symptoms: the first three years of service. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy.
Meyer, E.C., Zimering, R.T, Knight, J., Morissette, S.B., Kamholz, B.W., Coe, E., Carpenter, T.P., Keane, T.M., Kimbrel, N.A., & Gulliver, S.B. (in press). Negative emotionality interacts with trauma exposure to prospectively predict greater PTSD symptoms during the first three years of tire service. Journal of Traumatic Stress.
Presentations
Denman, T. C., Pennington, M. L., Gomez, D. R., Thomason, P. M., Maness, A. G., & Gulliver, S. B. (2017, April). Drinking motives and marriage in firefighters. Poster to be presented at the 5th annual Baylor Scott & White Health Central Texas Research Day, Temple, TX.
Vielma, I., Frank, S., Pennington, M. L., Thomason, P. M., Gomez, D. R., Denman, T. C., Maness, A. G., & Gulliver, S. B. (2017, April). Attrition among Veteran and Non-Veteran Firefighters in a Three-Year Longitudinal Study. Poster to be presented at the 5th annual Baylor Scott & White Health Central Texas Research Day, Temple, TX.
Knight, J. A., Gulliver, S. B., Zimering, R., Kamholz, B., Morissette, S., Munroe, J., Meyer, D. L., Keppel, E., and Herwitz, C. (2008, August). Prospective Analysis of Risk and Resilience Variables in Firefighters. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
Meyer, D., Gulliver, S. B., Vasterling, J. J., & Ellis, B. (2008). Recruitment/Retention in Trauma Research: Meeting the Challenge of Special Populations, Symposium at 2008 Annual APA Convention.
Gulliver, S. B. & Zimering, R. T. (2008, August). Trauma research in firefighters: Challenges of recruitment and retention. APA Annual Convention, Boston, MA.
Meyer, D. L., Knight, J. A., Zimering, R., Gulliver, S. B., Kamholz, B., Morissette, S., Munroe, J., Keppel, E., & Herwitz, C. (2008, August). Preliminary Report on Prospective Firefighter Recruit Study. Poster session presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Boston, MA.
Meyer, D., Gulliver, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Morissette, S. B., Knight, J., & Zimering, R. (2008, November). Conceptual and methodological issues in longitudinal trauma-related research. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Chicago, IL.
Meyer, D., Smith, L., McNeill, S., Liverant, G., Kamholz, B., & Gulliver, S. B. (2008, November). Relationship between religious coping and PTSD symptoms among firefighter recruits. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Chicago, IL.
Herwitz, C., Keppel, E. M., Zimering, R. T., Kamholz, B. W., Meyer, D. L., Gulliver, S. B., Morissette, S. B., Munroe, J., & Knight, J. A. (2009, April). Self-Assessment of Mental Health and Social Support in Firefighters. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Kruse, M. I., Keppel., E. M., Meyer, D. L., Morissette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Munroe, J., Knight, J., Herwitz, C., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2009, June). Changes in heavy drinking during the first year of fire service: Results from a longitudinal study of firefighter recruits. Poster presented at the 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Diego, CA. *
Kruse, M. I., Steffen, L. E., Keppel, E. M., Morissette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Munroe, J., Knight, J., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2010, August). Predictors of changes in heavy drinking in fire fighter recruits. Poster submitted for presentation at the 118th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Psychological Association, San Diego, CA.
Steffen, L. E., Mardikar, A. A., Kruse, M. I., Kamholz, B. W., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2010, November). Aggression as a predictor of heavy drinking during the first year of fire service. Poster presentation at the 26th Annual Scientific Meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Kruse, M.I., Steffen, L.E., Keppel, E.M., Morissette, S.B., Kamholz, B.W., Munroe, J., Knight, J., Zimering, R.T., & Gulliver, S.B. (2010, June). Evidence of problematic patterns of drinking in high-functioning OEF/OIF Veterans. Poster presentation at the 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, San Antonio, TX.
Kruse, M.I., Morissette, S.B., Zimering, R.T., Kamholz, B.W., Knight, J., Kimbrel, N., & VanderVeen, J. (2011, March). Evidence of patterns of heavy drinking in military veterans recruited outside of the Veterans affairs health care system. Paper presented at the 31st Annual Conference of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, New Orleans, LA.
VanderVeen, J. W., Kruse, M. I., Reyna, S. H., Mardikar, A. A., Morissette, S. B., Kamholz, B. W., Munroe, J., Knight, J., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2011, February). Differences in drinking patterns among firefighters who report cigarette smoking during their first year of fire service. Poster presentation at the 17th annual meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Toronto, Canada.
Kruse, M. I., Morissette, S. B., Meyer, E. C., Kimbrel, N. A., Kamholz, B., Knight, J., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2014, June). Patterns and predictors of heavy drinking during the first three years of fire service. Poster presented at the Annual Meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism, Bellevue, WA. *
Gulliver, S. B., Pennington, M. L., Torres, V. A., Synett, S., & Zimering, R. T. (2015, May). Health risk behaviors in a risky profession: The tobacco and alcohol use of firefighters in their first years of service. Poster presented at the 3rd Annual Meeting of Scott and White Academic Operations Research Days, Temple, TX.
Pennington, M. L., Synett, S. J., Torres, V. A., Brown, J. M. & Gulliver, S. B. (2015, May). Does Exposure to Natural Disaster Increase Risk and Vulnerability to Health Problems and Depression in an at Risk Population? Poster presented at the 3rd Annual Meeting of Scott and White Academic Operations Research Days, Temple, TX.
Pennington, M. L., Synett, S. J., Torres, V. A., & Gulliver, S. B. (2015, April). Does Exposure to Natural Disaster Increase Risk and Vulnerability to Health Problems and Depression in an at Risk Population? Poster presented at the 36th Annual Meeting of Society of Behavioral Medicine, San Antonio, TX.
Gulliver, S. B., Pennington, M. L., Torres, V. A., Synett, S., & Zimering, R. T. (2015, February). Health risk behaviors in a risky profession: The tobacco and alcohol use of firefighters in their first years of service. Poster presented at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Philadelphia, PA.
Gomez, D. R., Torres, V. A., Pennington, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Maness, A. G., Morissette, S. B., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2016, May). The relationship between exercise, social support, and depression in firefighter recruits. Poster presented at Baylor Scott & White Health Academic Operations Research Days, Temple, TX.
Torres, V. A., Gomez, D. R., Pennington, M. L., Carpenter, T. P., Maness, A. G., Morissette, S. B., Zimering, R. T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2016, May). How does lifetime recreational drug use relate to nicotine use in the first 3 years of fire service? Poster presented at Baylor Scott & White Health Academic Operations Research Days, Temple, TX.
Dupree, J., Pennington, M. L., Dobani, F., Strack, J., Meyer, E. C., Gulliver, S. B. (2019, May). PTSD and Perceived Social Support in Firefighters: The Irrelevance of Type. Poster presented at the 31st annual convention at Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.
Dobani, F., Coe, E., Rostockyj, J., Pennington, M. L., Dupree, J., Strack, J., Meyer, E. C., Gulliver, S. B. (2019, May). Potentially Traumatic Event Exposure in Fire Service. Poster presented at the 31st annual convention at Association for Psychological Science, Washington, DC.
Pendleton, E., Dupree, J., Strack, J., Dobani, F., Pennington, M. L., Meyer, E. C., & Gulliver, S. B. (2019, May). Social Support and Drinking Motives in Firefighter Recruits. Poster accepted at the Baylor Scott & White Scholar’s Day, Temple, TX.
Dupree, J., Pennington, M. L., Dobani, F., Strack, J., Meyer, E. C., Gulliver, S. B. (2019, May). PTSD and Perceived Social Support in Firefighters: The Irrelevance of Type. Poster presented at the Baylor Scott and White Scholar’s Day, Temple, TX.
Dupree, J., Meyer, E., Zimering, R., Knight, J., Keane, T., & Gulliver, S. B. (2019, November). The Impact of PTSD Symptoms on Physical and Mental Health Functioning in Firefighters. Poster presented at the 35th annual meeting of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Boston, MA.
