소방공무원의 직무 외상 경험과 외상 후 성장의 관계 : 외상 후 스트레스 장애 매개효과 및 회복탄력성의 조절된 매개효과 = The Relationship Between Firefighters’ Occupational Trauma Experiences and Posttraumatic Growth: The Mediating Effect of PTSD and the Moderated Mediation Effect of Resilience

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

This study examined the effect of firefighters’ occupational trauma experiences on post-traumatic growth (PTG) and tested the mediating role of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as the moderated mediation effect of resilience. Firefighters, who perform high-risk duties directly related to saving lives—such as firefighting, rescue, emergency medical services, and disaster response—are repeatedly exposed to traumatic events and psychological distress. While such exposure often leads to adverse mental health outcomes, some firefighters experience psychological maturity through expanded self-understanding and the reconstruction of life meaning. Accordingly, this study sought to empirically identify the psychological pathways through which occupational trauma experiences are transformed into post-traumatic growth, thereby providing an academic foundation for recovery-oriented mental health interventions for firefighters.
This study utilized secondary data approved by the Institutional Review Board of Jeonbuk National University (IRB No. JBNU 2025–03–029–001). Survey responses from 1,058 firefighters randomly sampled from 16 fire stations in Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province were analyzed. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and PROCESS Macro v4.2 (Models 4, 7, and 14), including descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, mediation analysis, moderation analysis, and moderated mediation analysis. The statistical significance of indirect effects was examined using 5,000 bootstrap resamples.
The results were as follows. First, firefighters’ occupational trauma experiences were positively associated with PTSD, indicating that repeated exposure to traumatic events during duty increases levels of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Second, occupational trauma experiences had a significant positive effect on PTG, suggesting that traumatic experiences can function not only as sources of psychological distress but also as opportunities for inner maturity. Third, PTSD partially mediated the relationship between occupational trauma experiences and PTG, implying that psychological distress following trauma may contribute to growth through processes of cognitive reinterpretation and meaning-making. Fourth, resilience did not moderate the relationship between occupational trauma experiences and PTSD, indicating that the effect of trauma exposure on PTSD did not significantly differ according to levels of resilience. Fifth, resilience significantly moderated the relationship between PTSD and PTG, such that firefighters with higher levels of resilience were more likely to attenuate the negative impact of PTSD and transform psychological distress into growth. Sixth, conditional indirect effect analysis confirmed that the indirect effect of occupational trauma experiences on PTG via PTSD was strengthened at higher levels of resilience.
The findings of this study offer theoretical, policy, and practical implications. Theoretically, the study extends post-traumatic growth theory by conceptualizing growth as a multilayered psychological pathway involving resilience, rather than as a linear outcome inversely related to PTSD. From a policy perspective, the results underscore the need to shift firefighter mental health support systems from short-term crisis-oriented interventions toward integrated approaches that enhance resilience and promote long-term growth. Practically, the findings highlight the importance of recovery-oriented case management that integrates individual reflective processes with organizational support, reframing firefighters’ trauma not merely as pathology but as a potential source of psychological growth.
Overall, by empirically verifying the interactive effects of PTSD and resilience, this study elucidates the psychosocial pathways through which occupational trauma can be transformed into growth and provides a robust theoretical and practical foundation for mental health research and social welfare interventions targeting high-risk professionals.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• ABSTRACT Ⅵ
• 제1장 서론 1
• 제1절 연구의 필요성 1
• 제2절 연구목적 및 연구문제 7
• 제2장 이론적 배경 9
• 제1절 외상 후 성장의 이론적 기반 9
• 1. 외상 후 성장의 개념과 이론적 모델 9
• 2. 회복탄력성의 개념과 이론적 모델 14
• 제2절 소방공무원의 직무 특성과 직무 외상 경험 18
• 1. 소방공무원의 직무 특성과 심리사회적 위험 18
• 2. 소방공무원의 직무 외상 경험의 개념과 특징 21
• 3. 소방공무원의 직무 외상 경험에 관한 선행연구 고찰 24
• 제3절 소방공무원의 직무 외상 경험, 외상 후 스트레스 장애, 외상 후 성장 간의 관계 27
• 1. 외상 후 스트레스 장애 개념과 특징 27
• 2. 직무 외상 경험과 외상 후 성장 간의 관계 29
• 3. 직무 외상 경험과 외상 후 스트레스 장애 간의 관계 32
• 4. 외상 후 스트레스 장애 매개효과 선행연구 고찰 34
• 제4절 소방공무원의 회복탄력성 조절효과 37
• 1. 회복탄력성의 조절효과 선행연구 고찰 37
• 2. 외상 반응 경로에서 회복탄력성의 역할 39
• 제3장 연구방법 42
• 제1절 연구모형 및 연구가설 42
• 1. 연구모형 42
• 2. 연구가설 44
• 제2절 연구대상 및 자료수집 45
• 제3절 변수 및 측정도구 47
• 1. 독립변수: 직무 외상 경험 47
• 2. 매개변수: 외상 후 스트레스 장애 49
• 3. 종속변수: 외상 후 성장 50
• 4. 조절변수: 회복탄력성 51
• 5. 통제변수 51
• 제4절 자료분석방법 53
• 제4장 연구결과 54
• 제1절 인구사회학적 특성 54
• 제2절 주요변수의 특성 56
• 제3절 인구사회학적 특성에 따른 주요변수들의 차이 63
• 1. 인구사회학적 특성에 따른 직무 외상 경험 차이검증 63
• 2. 인구사회학적 특성에 따른 외상 후 스트레스 장애 차이 검증 65
• 3. 인구사회학적 특성에 따른 외상 후 성장 차이검증 67
• 4. 인구사회학적 특성에 따른 회복탄력성 차이검증 69
• 제4절 주요변수 상관관계 71
• 제5절 직무 외상 경험과 외상 후 성장 관계에서 외상 후 스트레스 장애 매개효과 73
• 제6절 회복탄력성의 조절효과 76
• 제7절 회복탄력성의 조절된 매개효과 82
• 제5장 결론 및 제언 86
• 제1절 연구 결과 요약 86
• 제2절 연구의 함의 88
• 1. 이론적 함의 88
• 2. 정책적 함의 91
• 3. 실천적 함의 94
• 제3절 연구의 한계점 96
• [참고문헌] 99
• [설문 척도] 115