Perceived Coworker Social Support: A Protective Factor against Workplace Violence and Psychopathologies in Paramedics and Firefighters

First responders are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events, such as workplace violence (WPV), which has been associated with a higher risk of developing psychopathologies. Perceived social support is a protective factor that may enhance first-responders’ resilience in the face of violence. Specifically, the shared experiences of unique stressors among coworkers may lead to a sense of relatability that may help reduce WPV’s psychological impacts above support from loved ones. Accordingly, the current study created a measure of coworker social support. We assessed how perceived social support from coworkers and personal supports moderated the relationship of WPV to psychopathology in first responders. A sample of active-duty firefighters (n= 117) and paramedics (n= 129) from a large Canadian city completed online measures of emotional psychopathology. Overall, we found that WPV positively predicted emotional psychopathology, but only at low levels of coworker social support. Consistent with a buffering effect, WPV was not associated with emotional issues at high levels of work support. In contrast, the level of personal social support from loved ones did not moderate WPV’s negative impacts. We discuss the implications of our findings on the benefits of social support and support networks within the work environment.