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Workplace Violence Exposure and Burnout Among Fire-Service-Based Paramedics in South Korea: The Indirect Association Through Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms and the Moderating Roles of Social Support and Resilience

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background/Objectives: This study examined the indirect association between workplace violence exposure and burnout through post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and the moderating roles of social support and resilience among South Korean fire-service-based paramedics. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study included 210 paramedics in Busan, South Korea. Conditional process analyses were conducted using PROCESS Model 8, with social support and resilience examined in separate models. Results: Workplace violence exposure was positively associated with PTSS, which was positively associated with burnout. Conditional indirect associations were significant at the mean of each moderator. In the final sample (N = 210), social support moderated the associations of workplace violence exposure with PTSS (p = 0.002) and burnout (p = 0.015), and its index of moderated mediation was significant (−0.024, 95% bootstrap CI [−0.041, −0.009]). However, the social support interaction predicting PTSS and its index of moderated mediation were statistically significant only after excluding one influential observation (N = 210 vs. N = 211). The social support interaction predicting burnout remained significant in both samples. Resilience did not significantly moderate the PTSS association; its nominally significant interaction predicting burnout did not remain significant after Holm correction, and its index of moderated mediation was not significant. Conclusions: Social support may play a moderating role in the associations linking workplace violence exposure, PTSS, and burnout, although some findings were sensitive to the exclusion of one influential observation. These cross-sectional findings require cautious interpretation and further replication.

Source: Healthcare

DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14213607

Authors: Nayoon Lee, Mihyun Kim

Institution: Dong-A University

Language: English

Topic: Stress and Burnout Research

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258