This mini review examines the mental health challenges and resilience mechanisms among frontline workers.

This includes healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and essential service providers, who face

heightened psychological risks due to prolonged exposure to high-stress and crisis environments. The objective

is to synthesize recent evidence on coping strategies, resilience factors, and mental health issues, while

identifying key gaps and potential directions for intervention and research. Accordingly, a comprehensive

literature search was conducted in the Scopus database on 27 October 2025 using the following keywords:

(“mental health” AND resilience AND “frontline workers” OR “first responders” AND stress OR burnout). At

psychological distress. However, significant gaps persist in standardizing resilience assessment, evaluating

longterm intervention outcomes, and integrating systemic reforms with individual-level strategies. While

resilience and coping interventions show promise, future research must adopt interdisciplinary, longitudinal, and

technology-enhanced approaches to develop sustainable models of psychological support. Additionally,

embedding resilience training and organizational mental health policies can foster well-being and strengthen

Frontline workers, including healthcare professionals, emergency responders, and essential service providers,

play a vital role in maintaining public safety and well-being, particularly during crises such as pandemics, natural

(Khurana et al., 2025) noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has especially underscored the vulnerability of these

individuals to anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD, making this topic both timely and globally relevant (Leto,

Despite growing awareness, research on the psychological challenges and resilience mechanisms among

frontliners remains fragmented (Maeno et al., 2024). While numerous studies document the prevalence of mental

distress, fewer explore the protective factors, such as coping strategies, organizational support, and resilience

training that can mitigate these effects (Brais et al., 2023; Seiler et al., 2024). Despite these difficulties, several

studies emphasize the role of resilience as a protective factor for mental health (Ghahramanipirsalami et al.,

2025; Qin et al., 2023). Building on this, interventions such as the Community Resilience Model (CRM) have

presented positive effects, including increased psychological well-being and reduced traumatic stress and

This mini review aims to synthesize recent evidence on the mental health challenges faced by frontline workers

and the resilience factors that promote psychological adaptation and recovery. Specifically, it reviews (1) the

prevalence and nature of common mental health issues among frontliners; (2) the risk and protective factors

influencing these outcomes; (3) evidence-based interventions and support systems; and (4) ongoing debates and

future research directions. By integrating findings across multiple disciplines, including psychology,

occupational health, and public health, this review seeks to provide a comprehensive yet concise overview that

Ultimately, this review concludes that while frontline workers remain at high risk of psychological distress,

resilience can be cultivated through multi-level interventions that address individual coping skills, organizational

of Search 27 October 2025 Various article types, including original research, systematic reviews, meta-analyses,

and case studies, were considered for this mini review. Below, we present the inclusion and exclusion criteria for

reported high levels of psychological distress. This includes anxiety, depression, burnout, and PTSD,

largely driven by prolonged exposure to high-risk environments, emotional demands, and a lack of

organizational support. Together, these studies highlighted the critical role of resilience as a protective

This includes noting limitations in long-term efficacy, cultural adaptability, and integration into

institutional systems. Notably, differences in methodological designs and outcome measures across

workers or the concept of resilience were excluded to maintain focus on the targeted population and

Figure 1 : Concept Map generated with Scopus AI for Mental Health Challenges and Resilience Among Frontline

Frontline workers experience persistent exposure to stress, trauma, and emotional exhaustion, making coping

strategies vital for sustaining psychological resilience and well-being. Research indicates that adaptive coping

mechanisms such as mindfulness, emotional regulation, and social connectedness significantly reduce

posttraumatic symptoms and enhance mental health outcomes among healthcare and emergency personnel

(Carleton et al., 2025; Faria et al., 2025). Conversely, maladaptive coping, including avoidance and denial, is

associated with heightened anxiety, depression, and diminished professional efficacy (Ghahramanipirsalami et

and long-term impact (Faria et al., 2025). Future research should adopt longitudinal, interdisciplinary approaches

that integrate psychological theory, educational innovation, and digital tools to promote sustainable resilience

Frontline workers face continuous psychological strain from trauma exposure, moral distress, and occupational

fatigue, making resilience factors essential for sustaining mental health and professional efficacy. Recent studies

reveal that psychological resilience is influenced by both personal and systemic elements such as social support,

self-efficacy, and organizational culture (Maeno et al., 2024; Schuman et al., 2025). Hence, emotional resilience

training and peer support programs significantly reduce post-traumatic stress and enhance coping capacities

requires further evaluation (Merrigan et al., 2023; Tan et al., 2023). Future research should emphasize integrating

resilience pedagogy into educational and organizational policies, combining digital innovation with psychosocial

education responses increasingly embed mental health literacy, peer support, and resilience education in

preservice and in-service curricula, reflecting evidence that transdiagnostic skills training and structured

monitoring can reduce symptom screens and sustain gains over time (Carleton et al., 2025; Cipriano et al., 2022).

Benefits include improved coping, self-efficacy, and help-seeking. Nonetheless, challenges persist around

stigma, uneven organizational backing, and contextual variability across occupations (Looi et al., 2022; Mitchell

et al., 2023). Key technologies brief VR relaxation, tele-counseling, and app-mediated mindfulness offer scalable

stress reduction but face concerns about adherence, equity, and data privacy (Faria et al., 2025; Steinberg et al.,

2025). Practically, multi-tier prevention models, coworker social support, as well as tailored protocols (e.g.,

crisistrained policing and organizational reforms during public health emergencies) demonstrate promising

results in buffering distress and improving performance (Brais et al., 2023; Palmer et al., 2022; Scherer et al.,

and organization-wide policies to normalize care, reduce risk exposures, and sustain psychological well-being

Interest in frontline workers’ mental health remained minimal until 2020, then surged dramatically with the

pandemic’s onset. The 2021 peak reflects urgent research and policy focus. Though declining afterward,

sustained output indicates continuing concern. This pattern underscores evolving priorities, emphasizing

the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021). Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14.

factors during pandemic among port health 0fficers: A study in Sabang, Indonesia. Narra J, 4(1), e212.

Bazaid, K. (2022). Public health emergency and psychological distress among healthcare workers: a