Anxiety about taking direct rescue action in water among water rescuers in Poland

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of trait anxiety and the intensity of state anxiety among water rescuers in a hypothetical situation of taking direct rescue action in water. The study also considered the influence of demographic variables such as age, work experience, and gender. A total of 124 water rescuers (83 men and 41 women) participated in the project. The standardized STAI Self-Assessment Questionnaire (in the part concerning trait anxiety) and a self-designed questionnaire measuring situational anxiety were used. This questionnaire consisted of 12 questions rated on a 5-point Likert scale and focused on two key components: anxiety related to swimming and rescue skills, and fear of failure (concerns about errors, social evaluation, and legal consequences). The analysis revealed statistically significant positive correlations between trait anxiety and all dimensions of situational anxiety. The strongest relationship was observed for general anxiety about taking rescue action (r = 0.54). It was noted that with increasing age and work experience, the level of situational anxiety significantly decreased, which may suggest the protective role of professional experience in building psychological resilience. In contrast, the level of trait anxiety remained relatively stable and was not significantly affected by these variables. A comparative gender analysis revealed that women showed statistically higher levels of situational anxiety in all examined aspects, with a similar level of trait anxiety to men. This difference may be partly explained by women’s shorter average work experience. The results indicate the importance of both personality predispositions and professional experience in shaping readiness to act in crisis situations. The collected data highlight the need to include psychological support and mental training in the training and professional development process of water rescuers, which may enhance their effectiveness.