Central Washington University wants to enter the mind of a first responder by examining how they deal with stress. In particular, the university’s psychology department is studying if emergency personnel can better deal with the stress of their jobs by writing about their experiences. CWU psychology student Ann Marie Farina is collecting data for a survey to better understand the effects that sharing traumatic experiences through writing has on the mental health of first responders.
Research consists of two brief online surveys, to examine the degree to which a person experiences different symptoms, common among those who have endured trauma, while serving in their professions. After the surveys, the subject is asked to talk about their experiences. Participants will then be asked to repeat the surveys in two to four weeks.