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When the Going Gets Tough: Adult Resilience Within an Occupational Setting

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Applying Occupational Psychology to the Fire Service

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Abstract

This chapter explores the definition of adult Resilience, looking at the meaning and relevance of the term to firefighters. Following a review of historical definitions informed by developmental and clinical psychology, 12 interviews were analysed using Thematic Analysis. Findings suggest firefighters identify and construct their ability to deal with the adverse events they experience in their work roles through coping mechanisms, self-efficacy, and reflective learning. A checklist for qualitative interview research is presented, alongside a definition of adult resilience suitable for application.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychological, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, UK

    Alana Juman Blincoe & Christine Grant

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  1. Alana Juman Blincoe
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Correspondence to Alana Juman Blincoe .

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  1. Coventry University , Coventry, UK

    Thomas Rhys Evans

  2. Coventry University, Coventry, UK

    Gail Steptoe-Warren

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Juman Blincoe, A., Grant, C. (2019). When the Going Gets Tough: Adult Resilience Within an Occupational Setting. In: Evans, T., Steptoe-Warren, G. (eds) Applying Occupational Psychology to the Fire Service. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14588-0_3

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