(PS10-38) Social Support Improves Trauma Outcomes for U.S. First Responders with Low Mindful Attention Awareness

Abstract Text:

Introduction: First responders regularly experience occupational stress and trauma, increasing their risk for posttraumatic stress (PTS). Social support is among the strongest predictors of lower PTS, and it also promotes posttraumatic growth (PTG). However, the protective effects of social support may be less accessible in stressful circumstances; because stress narrows attention, and it may reduce attention to social support. Conversely, mindful attention awareness (MAA) involves the broadening of attention, which may amplify the effect of social support on trauma recovery (i.e., PTS and PTG) amidst occupational stress. For example, Chen and colleagues (2021) found that MAA amplified the benefits of social support from one’s family for promoting PTG among Chinese first responders. However, it is unclear whether these findings would translate from collectivist societies, such as China, to individualist societies, such as the U.S. According to some studies, seeking support may be more complex in collectivist cultures, due to a greater need to maintain social cohesion. Therefore, it is possible that higher MAA is more important for navigating and benefiting from social support in collectivist cultures, as opposed to individualist cultures. We therefore tested whether MAA amplified the relationship between social support and trauma recovery among first responders in the U.S.

Method: We surveyed trauma-exposed first responders (N = 176) in the U.S., who completed psychometrically validated scales for social support (Medical Outcomes Social Support Survey), MAA (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale), PTS (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM-5), and PTG (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory). We controlled for demographic covariates, and we used multiple regression to test the interactive effects of MAA and social support on trauma outcomes (PTS and PTG). When assumptions were violated, we used bootstrapping (with 1,000 iterations) and reported 95% CIs instead of p-values.

Results: Social support interacted with MAA to predict PTS (β = .13, 95% CI = .05 to .22) and PTG (β = -.19, p = .03). Among U.S. first responders with low (but not high) MAA, higher social support predicted lower PTS (β = -.17, p = .01) and higher PTG (β = .44, p < .01).

Discussion: Altogether, results suggest that U.S. first responders benefited the most from social support if they had low MAA; whereas in prior research, Chinese first responders benefited the most from social support if they had high MAA. High MAA may be needed in collectivist (but not individualist) societies because navigating social support may be more complex in societies that place a greater emphasis on social cohesion. Additionally, U.S. first responders with low MAA may have fewer internal resources for coping with stress and trauma, so they may benefit more from outsourcing coping via social support. However, conclusions are tentative, and they highlight the need for future studies to provide more direct cross-cultural comparisons and to test putative mechanisms that may explain cross-cultural differences. Overall, findings suggest that U.S. first responders with low MAA benefit the most from social support.