Emotional labor in a group of Mexican firefighters: a view from grounded theory

Abstract

Firefighters are a population that continually faces alert situations, where they are forced to control and suppress
emotions. The intense emotional work they do and the lack of professional care has serious consequences for their health. Objective: Explore the construct of Emotional labor in a group of firefighters from Mexico City. Methodology: It´s a qualitative study, whose analysis was carried out with the grounded theory method (Glaser & Straus, 1967). It´s consisted of two phases: 1) Data collection, from in-depth interviews, based on a semi-structured script previously
validated by expert judges; and 2) Data analysis, which consisted of transcription, synthesis, coding and comparison of the information obtained regarding emotional labor. Results: From the analysis, it was possible to identify six general
categories. Three of them confirm the existing theory: surface acting, deep acting, and cognitive dissonance; and the other three are a new contribution to the construct: social expectations, control, and coping. Conclusions: Emotional labor in firefighters is essential to maintain a professional image that satisfies social expectations. Likewise, it can be a mechanism to cope with the emotional impact of your activity.