Assessing Meaning in Life Among Fire Suppression Firefighters According to Gender and Years of Service

Assessing Meaning in Life Among Fire Suppression Firefighters According to Gender and Years of Service

Firefighters frequently face distressing scenes that heighten their risk of psychological disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and sleep disturbances. In this study, we aimed to compare the meaning in life among firefighters by the number of service years and gender. We surveyed 511 firefighters using a modified Meaning-in-Life Scale (PIL). Statistical analyses were conducted to assess differences in meaning in life scores across different service periods and between genders. Significant differences were noted in meaning in life based on years of service: years 1-5 (M=5.49), 6-10 (M=5.07), 11-15 (M=5.07), 16-20 (M=5.23), 21-25 (M=4.92), 26-30 (M =5.30), and more than 31 years (M=4.94). Post-hoc analysis indicated that 1-5 years of service showed higher levels of meaning in life, compared to 21-25 and more than 31 years of service. No statistically significant differences between women (M=5.32) and men (M=5.21) were observed. Based on these survey results, we propose measures such as reviewing retirement age policies, implementing multifaceted evaluation processes, and promoting communication between senior and junior personnel to enhance the meaning in life among firefighters.