Stress in emergency telephone number operators during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of self-efficacy and Big Five personality traits.

Background: Emergency telephone number operators experience many challenges in their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their personality traits and self-efficacy may act as important factors in their level of perceived stress. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between Big Five personality traits, self-efficacy and perceived stress among emergency telephone number operators during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participants and procedure: One hundred emergency telephone number operators participated in the study. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) and Generalized Self Efficacy Scale (GSES) were used.

Results: Emergency telephone number operators experienced a moderate level of perceived stress. The level of perceived stress was associated with all Big Five personality traits and self-efficacy. Stepwise regression showed that self-efficacy and emotional stability were significant predictors of perceived stress in a tested sample of emergency telephone number operators. Self-efficacy acted as a mediator between the 4 Big Five personality traits (except extraversion) and perceived stress.

Conclusions: Self-efficacy can be a very important resource during the struggle of emergency telephone number operators with the successive waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Operators with a high level of this resource can more effectively cope with the changes and perceive stress as lower. Individuals' personality traits may affect the level of self-efficacy that determines how stress is perceived. It is important to strengthen the self-efficacy of those involved in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.