Exploring the association between metacognition, personality traits and dispositional resilience among firefighters; A pilot study

Background Firefighters are the first responders who are actively involved in emergency mitigation and rescue. It is critical to explore and evaluate the mental health variables among the firefighters as they are dealing with extreme stressors and make critical decisions during emergencies. Objective This study was aimed at exploring the association between the cognitive resource named metacognition and personal resources such as personality traits and dispositional resilience among the firefighters. Methods A total of 103 firefighters in India were participated in this pilot study. Data were collected from the participants in the month of March 2024 via standardized measures. Data were analysed using SPSS software. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's correlation and regression analyses were used in the study. Results The results revealed that metacognition positively predicts dispositional resilience (β = 0.429, t = 4.77, p < 0.001). Additionally, Metacognition was positively associated with the personality trait of conscientiousness (β = 0.346, t = 3.710, p < 0.001). More importantly, study revealed that the variables metacognition (β = .228) and conscientiousness (β = .350) collectively predicted the dispositional resilience (F (2, 100) = 14.95, p < .001, R 2 = 0.23). Conclusion Findings of this study imply that a higher level of metacognitive awareness and skills, along with conscientiousness may help the firefighters to build greater resilience in the face of occupational challenges. These findings underscore the significance of enhancing metacognitive skills and personality traits through efficacious interventions within the firefighting community for ensuring professional well-being and resilience.