Dispositional Self-Forgiveness in Firefighters Predicts Less Help-Seeking Stigma and Fewer Mental Health Challenges

Firefighters face increased rates of mental health disorders secondary to traumatic exposure yet consistently report that stigma interferes with help-seeking. We examined whether firefighters who are by disposition more self-forgiving would exhibit less stigma and fewer mental health challenges. Dispositional self-forgiveness is a personality trait characterized by nonintropunitive responding, self-acceptance/positivity, and resolution of negative states following perceived failure. A community sample of professional firefighters (n = 72) completed measures of trait self-forgiveness, stigma, PTSD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and suicidality. Consistent with expectations, self-forgiveness was associated with less self-stigma (r=-.38) and internalized stigma (r=-.42). Consistent with theory, no substantive link was found between self-forgiveness and public stigma. Also consistent with expectations, substantive relationships were found with wellbeing: selfforgiveness predicted fewer depressive symptoms, less suicidality, and fewer PTSD symptoms. Surprisingly, these relationships existed largely independent of relationships with stigma. Overall, trait self-forgiveness was an important predictor of both stigma and mental health symptoms among professional firefighters. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Duke Scholars

Author Nathan Andrew Kimbrel Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neur ...