Abstract: To alleviate occupational burnout among firefighters, scales measuring exercise self-efficacy, occupational burnout, physical activity, and perceived social support were used to assess the mental health status of 408 front-line firefighters. The study explored the relationship between exercise self-efficacy and occupational burnout among firefighters, examined the mediating role of physical activity and the moderating effect of perceived social support, and proposed corresponding optimization strategies. Results indicate that exercise self-efficacy can directly predict burnout levels and indirectly influences burnout through physical activity. Perceived social support moderates the effect of physical activity on occupational burnout, with the mediating effect being more significant in groups with moderate to high levels. Based on these findings, multidimensional coping strategies are proposed: improving sports facilities and developing personalized training programs; introducing novel sports activities and establishing a scientific incentive system; strengthening social support networks and implementing routine mental health monitoring.

Key words: firefighters, occupational burnout, exercise self-efficacy, physical activity, perceived social support