Exploring the Psychological Health of First Responder Women and Their Children

Author

• Shelby S. DeSchepper, University of South DakotaFollow

Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Honors Thesis

Department/Major

Psychology

First Advisor

BreAnne Danzi

Second Advisor

Cynthia Struckman-Johnson

Third Advisor

Harry Freeman

Keywords

First responders, women, gender, mental health, parenting practices

Subject Categories

Child Psychology | Community Psychology | Developmental Psychology

Abstract

Abstract

First responders (law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency medical technicians) often face occupational stressors and may have exposure to traumatic events. As a result, they are at risk for developing mental health conditions. Although there is substantial research on first responder mental health, potential gender differences within this population have received limited attention. The existing evidence suggests that first responders who are women encounter an even higher risk for adverse mental health outcomes than first responders who are men. Additionally, few studies have explored the mental health outcomes of children with first responder parents, and even fewer have examined potential differences in parenting practices between first responders of different genders. Moreover, unexplored environmental differences between the genders may help explain other potential discrepancies. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate how gender may influence the mental well-being of first responders and their children. Additionally, the study assessed parenting practices among first responder parents, as well as childcare responsibilities and treatment at work, to determine whether differences exist based on gender. Results indicated that there were no gender differences for parent or child mental health. First responder fathers used more authoritarian parenting practices compared to first responder mothers. There were not gender differences in how first responders reported being treated at work, but first responder women had greater childcare responsibilities. Findings suggest that there are some differences between first responder men and women; further research is needed to determine how to best support first responder families.

Recommended Citation

DeSchepper, Shelby S., "Exploring the Psychological Health of First Responder Women and Their Children" (2026). Honors Thesis. 407.
https://red.library.usd.edu/honors-thesis/407