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    Protective factors in potential trauma for adolescent surf lifesavers
    (Elsevier Limited, United Kingdom, 2025-12) Lawes JC; Fien S; Ledger J; Drummond M; Simon P; Joseph N; Daw S; Best T; Stanton R; de Terte I
    Introduction: Surf lifesavers form a key part of Australia's first responder workforce. Patrolling members can start from 13 years old, with potential exposure to traumatic incidents. Protective factors may mitigate the trauma exposure. This study investigated protective factors associated with mental health outcomes among adolescent surf lifesavers (13–17 years), including in response to exposure to potentially traumatic events. Methods: An online survey was developed to collect data from Australian surf lifesavers (13–17 years). Measures included demographic factors, stressful life events, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), self-efficacy, social support, and attitudes toward mental health problems. Hierarchical regressions and moderation analyses explored the relationships between variables. Results: There were 118 responses collected with overall mean age 15.4 years (SD = 1.3). PTSS was moderately to strongly positively correlated with all trauma domains. Higher self-efficacy and social support scores were correlated with lower PTSS. Hierarchical regression showed that Trauma within SLS, social support, self-efficacy and attitudes toward mental health were significantly associated with the outcome in the final regression model (F(5,110) = 17.87, p < 0.001), with the protective factors collectively explaining 28% of the variance in PTSS. Negative attitudes were positively associated with PTSS, while social support and self-efficacy scores were both negatively associated with PTSS. Conclusions: This study highlights the critical and protective interplay between social support, self-efficacy, mental health attitudes and trauma exposure among adolescent surf lifesavers. The findings will guide the development of targeted interventions to support younger patrolling members with an emphasis on supportive interventions to improve resilience and wellbeing in young emergency service personnel exposed to trauma. Practical applications: This study highlights the importance of encouraging protective factors with young individuals in emergency service roles, with practical implications for mental health professionals, emergency service agencies, surf lifesaving organizations, and policymakers interested in promoting the wellbeing of adolescent emergency service personnel.
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    Exposure to Traumatic Events and Shame in Adolescent Surf Lifesavers: An Australian Perspective
    (Springer Nature Switzerland AG, 2024-10-10) Fien S; Lawes JC; Ledger J; de Terte I; Drummond M; Simon P; Joseph N; Daw S; Kelly S; Hillman W; Stanton R; Best T
    Emergency service personnel experience high levels of psychological distress, with increasing evidence of associations with shame and trauma. Additionally, adolescence is a critical time in social and cognitive development, in which shame plays an important role. In Australia, adolescent volunteer surf lifesavers (SLS) are particularly vulnerable due to exposure to potentially traumatic experiences (PTEs) such as rescues and resuscitation of human lives. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between direct or indirect PTEs, and the relationship PTSS and shame may have in adolescent surf lifesavers. This cross-sectional study surveyed patrolling adolescent SLS, aged 13–17 years, recruited via internal communications and social media groups. Complete responses from patrolling adolescents (n = 118; 59% female; mean age 15.4 years) were used to determine exposure to PTEs across global, direct, and within SLS trauma domains. Associations between demographics, PTEs, post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), with shame as a moderator were assessed for each trauma domain. PTEs and PTSS were positively associated across trauma domains. Shame was identified as a significant predictor of PTSS and as an important moderator of PTSS for experiences within SLSA, but not global or direct trauma. By exploring links between PTEs, PTSS, and shame, these findings contribute to the development of strategies and interventions for adolescents during stressful times. Responsiveness to adolescents via feedback and genuine, reassuring relationships that acknowledge the complexity of coping with stressful situations, may be potentially effective approaches to support coping with experiences of shame following PTE’s in adolescent surf lifesavers.
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    A preliminary study investigating the neglected domain of mental health in Australian lifesavers and lifeguards.
    (Springer Nature Limited, 2023-05-31) Fien S; Lawes JC; Ledger J; Drummond M; Simon P; Joseph N; Daw S; Best T; Stanton R; de Terte I
    BACKGROUND: Surf lifesavers and lifeguards have provided essential education, preventative, and rescue services to the Australian community for over 110 years. In this first responder role, surf lifesavers and lifeguards are inadvertently exposed to high risk and trauma related experiences, which may negatively impact mental well-being. To date however, there has been limited research into the mental health of surf lifesavers and lifeguards, and no studies at all on the mental health of adolescent surf lifesavers. The preliminary study aimed to measure the exposure of potentially traumatic events (PTEs), post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), self-efficacy, social support, and attitudes towards mental health problems in Surf Life Saving (SLS) members. METHODS: An anonymous, online survey was developed (adolescent and adult versions) and created to measure the domain of mental health in surf lifesavers and lifeguards. Pearson's correlations investigated relationships between PTEs, PTSS, self-efficacy, social support, attitudes towards mental health problems, age, years as a SLS member, and years patrolling. Spearman's Rank was used for violations of normality. RESULTS: A total of 57 surf lifesavers/lifeguards aged 13-59 years were included in the final analysis. There was a significant positive relationship between exposure to direct trauma and PTSS, which in turn, were associated with greater negative attitudes towards mental health problems towards the mental health of others, and lower levels of self-efficacy. Male and female adults with PTSS reported lower social support, whereas for adolescent males, a positive relationship between direct trauma and PTSS was observed. CONCLUSION: This research is the first to explore the mental health of Australian surf lifesavers and lifeguards. The results highlight the potential risks to mental health and well-being associated with this first responder role. More research to protect the vulnerability of this population is warranted.