Is resilience trainable? An initial study comparing mindfulness and relaxation training in firefighters

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Occupational Health
• Intervention Science

Background:

• First responders face significant occupational stressors.
• Resilience is crucial for professionals in high-threat environments.
• Mindfulness training (MT) is a potential intervention to bolster resilience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of a short-form MT program for firefighters.
• To determine if MT enhances psychological and cognitive markers of resilience.
• To compare MT with relaxation training (RT) and a no-training control (NTC).

Main Methods:

• 121 firefighters were assigned to MT, RT, or NTC groups.
• Both MT and RT involved 4 weekly 2-hour sessions and daily practice.
• Psychological resilience, positive affect, and attentional performance were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The MT group showed significantly greater increases in psychological resilience than RT or NTC groups.
• Increased daily practice in the MT group correlated with greater improvements in positive affect and attention.
• RT did not yield the same benefits as MT regarding resilience markers.

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness training is more effective than relaxation training in bolstering firefighter resilience.
• The duration of daily practice moderates the positive effects of MT on affect and cognition.
• MT offers a promising intervention for enhancing the well-being and performance of high-stress professionals.