Analysis of Psychological Resilience Differences and Contributions Among Different Emergency Responders Based on Cascading Causal Inference: A Case Study of the 6.4-Magnitude Earthquake in Petrinja, Croatia

Emergency responders may face immense pressure due to sudden incidents, which can affect their levels of psychological resilience. Although different professions of emergency responders typically participate in the same types of incidents, their tasks and responsibilities differ, as do their stress tolerance and training. This study aims to explore the specific impact of the 6.4-magnitude earthquake in Petrinja, Croatia, on the psychological resilience of various professions of rescue personnel, filling the gap in existing research regarding profession-specific factors affecting psychological resilience and coping strategy differences. The study subjects include police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency nurses. Psychological resilience was assessed using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and the impact of the earthquake on resilience and its influencing factors were systematically evaluated using multiple regression analysis, Difference-in-Differences (DiD), and the XGBoost model. Self-efficacy, adaptability, and recovery ability were significantly positively correlated with psychological resilience. DiD analysis revealed the earthquake's impact on the psychological resilience of various professions, with the resilience scores of healthcare workers showing a significant decline. Robustness and sensitivity tests further validated the reliability of these findings. The XGBoost model provided importance scores for each variable, confirming that self-efficacy, adaptability, and social support are key factors influencing psychological resilience. The results indicate significant differences in the psychological resilience of different professions of rescue personnel following the earthquake, highlighting the need for specific psychological interventions tailored to different professions in emergency management.