F.I.R.E.- Fighters With Focus, Intention, Regulation and Engagement

NCT07484711 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: FIRE.20242024.05940.BD
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 53
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Firefighters are routinely exposed to potentially traumatic events, making them vulnerable to debilitating mental health problems. Consequently, promoting well-being and the ability to respond effectively and safely to work demands are vital. The FIRE is an innovative mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and compassion-based manualized intervention encompassing eight weekly group sessions delivered at Fire Stations. A preliminary version of this program will be refined based on qualitative inputs from structured interviews with firefighters and emergency/civil protection sector stakeholders. The FIRE feasibility dimensions of adaptation, acceptability, implementation, practicality, integration, and limited efficacy will be evaluated in a two-arm, 1:1, non-blinded randomised controlled trial. The extent to which the FIRE contributes to the promotion of well-being and the decrease of psychopathological symptoms, and the causal theory underlying FIRE, will be explored through an examination of potential mechanisms of change.

Conditions

Firefighters' Mental Health

Keywords

Psychological Intervention; Firefighters; Acceptance and Commitment Therapy; Compassion; Feasibility study; Mindfulness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Well-being

  Measured by the World Health Organization Well-Being Index 5 (WHO-5). The total raw score, ranging from 0 to 25, is multiplied by 4 to give the final score, with 0 representing the worst imaginable well-being and 100 representing the best imaginable well-being.

  Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Depression

  Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

• Anxiety

  Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

• PTSD

  Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

• Attention

  Baseline and 8 weeks

• Mindfulness

  Baseline, 8 weeks and 3-month follow-up

Other Outcomes (8)

• Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Acceptability

  8 weeks

• Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Demand

  8 weeks

• Feasibility criteria questionnaire - Implementation

  8 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Experimental FIRE Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the experimental group will receive the FIRE programme delivered at Fire Stations. Participants will complete online standardised self-report measures, pre-(M0), post-intervention (M1) and 3-months follow-up (M2). At M1, the experimental FIRE group will complete a feasibility criteria questionnaire.

Behavioral: FIRE

Wait-list Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the wait-list control group will complete online standardised self-report measures, pre-(M0), post-intervention (M1) and 3-months follow-up (M2). The wait-list control group participants will be offered the opportunity to receive the FIRE programme after the study.

Interventions

FIRE BEHAVIORAL

The FIRE will include 8-weekly group sessions (10-15 participants per group; 90-minutes duration) delivered at Fire Stations. The FIRE implementation will occur outside the charlie phase (fire critical season, from May to October), controlling for the potential seasonality impact on results. Two clinical psychologists with mindfulness, ACT and compassion training will facilitate the FIRE sessions. Weekly gentle reminders will be sent to motivating participants to practice the between-sessions exercises.

Experimental FIRE Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age 18-65
• Being a volunteer firefighter

You may not qualify if:

• Currently undergoing any form of psychiatric/psychological intervention (self-reported)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Coimbra: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Coimbra

Coimbra, 3000-115, Portugal

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Fires

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Environment; Environment and Public Health

Central Study Contacts

Soraia Moniz

CONTACT

+351912155586; soraia-moniz@live.com.pt

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Model Details: Fire Stations in the centre region of Portugal will be invited to participate by the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC). Consenting Fire Stations will be randomly allocated (www.random.org) to: a) experimental group-EG-FIRE receiving the intervention; b) wait-list control group-WL-CG. FIRE will be presented to the EG-FIRE fire stations participating in the study at an information event, and a brochure will also be distributed. Interested firefighters will be asked to register, assess eligibility, and provide informed consent.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 19, 2026
• First Posted: March 20, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2028
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2028
• Last Updated: March 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PT (1)