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. 2021 Oct 22;18(21):11097.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182111097.

Here for My Peer: The Future of First Responder Mental Health

Kristin A Horan  1 , Madeline Marks  2 , Jessica Ruiz  1 , Clint Bowers  1 , Annelise Cunningham  1
Affiliations

Here for My Peer: The Future of First Responder Mental Health

Kristin A Horan et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Workplace interventions that leverage social tactics to improve health and well-being are becoming more common. As an example, peer mental health support interventions aim to reduce stigma and promote treatment seeking in first responder populations. Given the social nature of these interventions, it is important to consider how the preexisting social context influences intervention outcomes. A peer mental health support intervention was delivered among first responders, and self-efficacy and intention to have supportive peer conversations were measured pre-and post-intervention. Trust in peers was measured prior to the intervention. Results suggest a floor effect may exist for self-efficacy, in which a foundational level of trust and pre-intervention self-efficacy may be needed to maximize intervention effectiveness. As the future of work brings complex safety and health challenges, collaborative solutions that engage multiple stakeholders (employees, their peers, and their organization) will be needed. This study suggests that more frequent attention to pre-existing intervention context, particularly social context in peer-focused intervention, will enhance intervention outcomes.

Keywords: first responders; mental health; peer support; process evaluation.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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