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Role Identity, Dissonance, and Distress among Paramedics
Justin Mausz1,2, Elizabeth Anne Donnelly3, Sandra Moll4
1Peel Regional Paramedic Services, Brampton, ON L6V 4R5, Canada.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
|February 25, 2022
Summary
Paramedic role identity dissonance, where the ability to perform the job clashes with self-perception, is linked to significant distress and lost work time. Understanding this disconnect is crucial for paramedic mental health and wellbeing.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
- Sociology
Background:
- Role identity theory links life meaning to social roles.
- Unfulfilled role expectations can negatively impact health and wellbeing.
- Public safety personnel experience high rates of mental illness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore role identity dissonance among paramedics.
- To investigate the incongruence between perceived and actual paramedic roles.
- To understand the impact of this dissonance on mental health.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study using thematic analysis.
- Interviews with 21 paramedics in Ontario, Canada.
- Interpretivist epistemology.
Main Results:
- A framework for role identity dissonance was developed.
- Chronic, disruptive workplace events cause distress.
- Some paramedics recalibrated their identity, while others experienced irreconcilable dissonance leading to disability and work absence.
Conclusions:
- Role identity dissonance is a significant factor in paramedic mental health.
- Chronic workplace stress can disrupt paramedic role identity.
- Findings offer insights into paramedic wellbeing and contribute to role identity theory.
Keywords:
first respondersmental disordersmental healthoperational stress injuriespost-traumatic stress injuriespublic safety personnelqualitative researchrole identity theorytraumawellbeingMore Related Videos
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