College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Term of Award

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Master of Science, Kinesiology - Sport and Exercise Psychology Concentration

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology

Committee Chair

Megan Byrd

Committee Member 1

Emily Langford

Committee Member 2

Bridget Melton

Committee Member 3

Barry Joyner

Abstract

The occupational demands of firefighting, such as fire suppression and rescue tasks, working in hazardous conditions, inconsistent sleep patterns, and exposure to traumatic events, can lead to work-related injuries, burnout, and feelings of isolation. To date, there is limited research on the impact of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery and the recovery activities that may influence these perceptions. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a single work-shift on firefighter perceptions of stress and recovery status as well as the recovery activities firefighters choose to engage in. Forty-three firefighters across five fire departments completed the Short Recovery and Stress Scale at the beginning and end of a single work-shift. Firefighters also completed the Assessment of Recovery Activities for Athletes-Firefighters at the beginning of shift and self-reported call volume and sleep quantity at the end of the shift. Pearson correlation results indicated physical recovery was significantly related to fire rescue related calls (r (41) = -.53, p < .001), call volume (r (41) = -.42, p = .005), and sleep quantity (r (41) = .41, p = .007). Mental recovery was significantly related to fire rescue related calls (r (41) = -.42, p = .006). Further, one-tail dependent t-test results indicated significantly higher levels of pre-shift mental (t (42) = 3.63, p < 0.001, ES = 0.55) and overall (t (42) = 3.55, p < 0.002, ES = 0.54) recovery compared to post-shift recovery. Linear regressions indicated significant predictor models for overall recovery (R2 = .31, F (10, 83) = 3.19, p = .002, SE = 1.11) and stress (R2 = .35, F (10, 83) = 3.94, p < .001, SE = 1.40) with no significant individual predictor variables. Together, these data indicate that firefighter perceptions of mental and overall recovery may decrease across a shift and may be related to responding to fire rescue related calls. Further, findings suggest that engagement in physical, mental, and social recovery activities may be related to and help predict stress and recovery status at the beginning and end of a shift.

OCLC Number

1588479463

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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