scholarly journals Mindfulness Training Reduces PTSD Symptoms and Improves Stress-Related Health Outcomes in Police Officers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W. Grupe ◽  
Chad McGehee ◽  
Chris Smith ◽  
Andrew D. Francis ◽  
Jeanette A. Mumford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

scholarly journals Mindfulness training reduces PTSD symptoms and other stress-related health outcomes in police officers

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel W Grupe ◽  
Chad McGehee ◽  
Chris Smith ◽  
Andrew Francis ◽  
Jeanette Mumford ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Sleep Disturbances ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Physical And Mental Health

BACKGROUND. Police officers are exposed daily to high levels of organizational and operational stressors that have a negative impact on health and well-being outcomes. This population has elevated rates of cardiovascular disease, sleep disorders, symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicide. Although there are few empirically supported effective stress reduction interventions in police officers, recent evidence suggests that an 8-week training program in mindfulness meditation, specifically tailored for this group, has promise in reducing perceived stress and improving stress-related physical and mental health outcomes including sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, and burnout. The primary aims of the current study were to 1) demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability, and adherence of a similar mindfulness training program in a new population of police officers; 2) replicate previously demonstrated improvements in perceived stress and stress-related health outcomes, and 3) provide novel evidence of hypothesized reductions in symptoms of PTSD.METHODS. We enrolled 30 sworn law enforcement personnel from a mid-sized, Midwestern U.S. police department in an 8-week, group-based mindfulness training program. We conducted in-person assessments immediately before and after the training program, consisting of self-report measures of perceived stress, sleep quality, physical and mental health symptoms, and burnout and the assessment of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and other physical health measures. An abbreviated remote assessment at 5-month follow-up included self-report measures only.RESULTS. All 30 officers completed the 8-week program and both in-person assessments, with high rates of class attendance, substantial out-of-class practice time, and uniformly positive evaluations of the training program and instructors. Replicating previous studies, we identified post-training reductions in perceived organizational and operational stress, global sleep disturbances, anxiety, and burnout, with significant reductions in anxiety and perceived stress observed at 5-month follow-up. We also identified novel evidence for reduced PTSD hyperarousal symptoms that persisted at 5-month follow-up, and reduced re-experiencing PTSD symptoms at 5-month follow-up only. There was no evidence for changes in self-reported physical health symptoms or hs-CRP.CONCLUSIONS. Successful adaptation, delivery, and acceptance of this mindfulness-based intervention demonstrates the generalizability of mindfulness training across law enforcement populations. The replication of improved stress-related outcomes, and novel evidence for reduced PTSD symptoms, indicate important targets to be further investigated in larger, mechanistic, randomized controlled trials of mindfulness training in police officers.

Cognitive Distortions and PTSD Symptoms in a Study of Police Officers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerald Gardner ◽  
Thomas Metzler ◽  
Clare Henn-Haase ◽  
Janie Jun ◽  
Charles Marmar
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Cognitive Distortions ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

Cortisol and MHPG Response to Video Challenge and the Development of PTSD Symptoms in Police Officers

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brigitte Apfel ◽  
Sabra S. Inslicht ◽  
Shannon McCaslin ◽  
Thomas Metzler ◽  
Thomas Neylan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

scholarly journals Post-traumatic stress impact on health outcomes in Gulf War Illness

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Jeffrey ◽  
Fanny Collado ◽  
Jeffrey Kibler ◽  
Christian DeLucia ◽  
Steven Messer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Short Form ◽  
Gulf War ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Symptom Presentation ◽  
Trauma Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Gulf War Illness ◽  
Cut Point ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Background Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic, multi-symptomatic disorder affecting an estimated 25–32% of the returning military veterans of the 1990–1991 Persian Gulf War. GWI presents with a wide range of symptoms including fatigue, muscle pain, cognitive problems, insomnia, rashes and gastrointestinal issues and continues to be a poorly understood illness. This heterogeneity of GWI symptom presentation complicates diagnosis as well as the identification of effective treatments. Defining subgroups of the illness may help alleviate these complications. Our aim is to determine if GWI can be divided into distinct subgroups based on PTSD symptom presentation. Methods Veterans diagnosed with GWI (n = 47) and healthy sedentary veteran controls (n = 52) were recruited through the Miami Affairs (VA) Medical Health Center. Symptoms were assessed via the RAND short form health survey (36), the multidimensional fatigue inventory, and the Davidson trauma scale. Hierarchal regression modeling was performed on measures of health and fatigue with PTSD symptoms as a covariate. This was followed by univariate analyses conducted with two separate GWI groups based on a cut-point of 70 for their total Davidson Trauma Scale value and performing heteroscedastic t-tests across all measures. Results Overall analyses returned two symptom-based subgroups differing significantly across all health and trauma symptoms. These subgroups supported PTSD symptomatology as a means to subgroup veterans. Hierarchical models showed that GWI and levels of PTSD symptoms both impact measures of physical, social, and emotional consequences of poor health (ΔR2 = 0.055–0.316). However, GWI appeared to contribute more to fatigue measures. Cut-point analysis retained worse health outcomes across all measures for GWI with PTSD symptoms compared to those without PTSD symptoms, and healthy controls. Significant differences were observed in mental and emotional measures. Conclusions Therefore, this research supports the idea that comorbid GWI and PTSD symptoms lead to worse health outcomes, while demonstrating how GWI and PTSD symptoms may uniquely contribute to clinical presentation.

Work and health outcomes among police officers: The mediating role of police cynicism and engagement.

2006 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 555-574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Astrid M. Richardsen ◽  
Ronald J. Burke ◽  
Monica Martinussen
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Work And Health

scholarly journals Presence and influence of trauma in inpatient psychiatric care

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Rachel B. Nowlin ◽  
Sarah K. Brown ◽  
Jessica R. Ingram ◽  
Amanda R. Drake ◽  
Johan R. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Behavioral Health ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Psychiatric Inpatient ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Inpatient Psychiatric Care ◽  
Psychiatric Setting ◽  
Trauma Informed Care ◽  
Inpatient Settings ◽  
Positive Correlations

Background: Previous research indicates traumatic exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occur at a higher rate in people with severe mental illness (SMI) than in the general population, and co-occurring PTSD symptoms can worsen outcomes for patients with SMI.Objective: This study assessed the presence and influence of PTSD symptoms in individuals with SMI in an inpatient psychiatric setting, and rates of PTSD diagnoses in this population.Methods: Retrospective analysis of demographic information and behavioral health outcomes, using a representative sample of adult and geriatric inpatient psychiatric patients (N = 4,126).Results: This study found elevated PTSD symptoms in over 65% of patients, and significant positive correlations between PTSD symptomatology and behavioral and emotional dysfunction. This study also explored differences in patients with PTSD symptoms who did and did not receive a PTSD diagnosis, finding associations for admission severity, race, and gender.Conclusions: Traumatization and PTSD symptoms were prevalent in psychiatric inpatient settings, and had an impact on behavioral health outcomes. Recommendations include the use of PTSD screening in behavioral healthcare admission processes, and the furtherance of trauma-informed care for inpatient psychiatric patients with SMI, due to the volume of traumatization and PTSD symptoms in the population.

The Association Between Abusive Policing and PTSD Symptoms Among U.S. Police Officers

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 261-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan DeVylder ◽  
Monique Lalane ◽  
Lisa Fedina
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

Displacement during Hurricane Sandy: The impact on mental health

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca M. Schwartz, PhD ◽  
Rehana Rasul, MA ◽  
Samantha M. Kerath, MS ◽  
Alexis R. Watson, BS ◽  
Wil Lieberman-Cribbin, MPH ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Hurricane Sandy ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Illicit Substance ◽  
The Impact

Objective: To assess the effect of displacement due to Hurricane Sandy on mental health outcomes among residents of the greater New York City (NYC) area.Design: Prospective, cross sectional.Setting: NYC area residents, including Queens, Staten Island, and Long Island.Participants: In a 4.25 year period (June 2012 to September 2016), a convenience sample of 1,615 adult residents from the greater NYC area completed validated measures of hurricane exposure (including displacement), perceived stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms as well as indicators of alcohol, illicit substance, and tobacco use.Main Outcome Measures: Perceived stress, depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms and alcohol, illicit substance, and tobacco use.Results: Multivariable analyses indicated that displaced participants were more likely to have PTSD (adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR): 2.21, 95%CI: 1.73-2.82), depression (AOR: 1.37, 95%CI: 1.05-1.79) and anxiety symptoms (AOR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.01-1.67) and had a 1.16 unit increase in perceived stress score (SE = 0.38) compared to nondisplaced participants. Staying with friends/family vs. at a shelter was significantly associated with a 48 percent decreased odds of having PTSD symptoms (AOR: 0.52, 95%CI: 0.31-0.88) and of being a current tobacco user (AOR: 0.52, 95%CI: 0.30-0.92).Conclusions: Displacement is associated with negative mental health outcomes, particularly displacement to shelters. Disaster preparedness efforts should involve increasing mental health resources to those who are displaced and providing support services within the shelter setting.

scholarly journals A prospective study of pre-employment psychological testing amongst police recruits

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 162-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
R E Marshall ◽  
J S Milligan-Saville ◽  
Z Steel ◽  
R A Bryant ◽  
P B Mitchell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Conditional Logistic Regression ◽  
Mental Health Outcomes ◽  
Psychological Injury ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Police Recruits

Abstract Background Pre-employment psychological screening to detect psychological vulnerability is common amongst emergency service organizations worldwide, yet the evidence for its ability to predict poor mental health outcomes is limited with published studies looking at post-recruitment research data rather than data collected by the organizations themselves. Aims The present study sought to investigate the ability of pre-employment screening to predict later psychological injury-related absenteeism amongst police officers. Methods A nested case–control study using prospective data was conducted. One hundred and fifty police officers with a liability-accepted psychological injury were matched to a control group of 150 psychologically healthy officers. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine associations between Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) scales measuring factors research has shown to predict psychological injury (Neuroticism, Psychoticism, Introversion, Disconstraint and Aggressiveness) and psychopathology (Depression, Anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]) with subsequent psychological injury. Results Contrary to expectations, we were unable to demonstrate any association between validated pre-employment measures of personality and psychopathology with mental health outcomes amongst newly recruited police officers over a 7-year follow-up. Conclusions Other measures may be better able to predict future mental health problems in police recruits.

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