Firefighters’ job stress and the (un)intended consequences of relational quality with spouses and firefighter friends

Abstract

For firefighters, there is reason to believe that relational quality with spouses and firefighter friends might buffer the negative effects of occupational stress both on and off the job. In this study, we examined the associations among firefighters’ relationship quality at work and at home, their job stress, job satisfaction, and quality of work life (QWL). We surveyed 428 male firefighters employed at 12 fire stations across Texas. All but one of our hypotheses were supported, as relationship quality with both wife and firefighter friend emerged as significant, positive predictors of job satisfaction and QWL, whereas job stress emerged as a significant, negative predictor of job satisfaction and QWL. These main effects were qualified by three, significant two-way interaction effects. Whereas the negative effect of stress on job satisfaction and QWL was buffered by relational quality with a firefighter friend, it was exacerbated by relational quality with a spouse. Nevertheless, when a firefighter has strong relational quality at work and at home, the effects of job stress are diminished.