Duty-Related Stressors and PTSD Symptoms in Suburban Police Officers

1997 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 835-845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Holly M. Robinson ◽  
Melissa R. Sigman ◽  
John P. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Stressful Event ◽  
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing ◽  
Critical Incident Stress ◽  
Stress Debriefing ◽  
Dsm Iv ◽  
Related Stress ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Suburban Police

This study examined the effects of duty-related stress on police officers. Using a sample of 100 suburban police officers, an anonymous questionnaire requested demographic information and included a measure of duty-related stressors, SCL-90–R, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder scale of the Impact of Events Scale-Revised, and a locus of control scale. Also assessed was whether Critical Incident Stress Debriefing was experienced. The results showed significant correlations between scores on duty-related stress, somatization, and symptoms of PTSD. 13% of the sample met the DSM-IV (1994) diagnostic criteria for PTSD. Results of the regression analysis showed the best predictors for the diagnosis of PTSD were associated with the factor of Exposure to Death and Life Threat, which corresponds to the DSM-IV AI criteria. Finally, 63% of the respondents stated that a critical incident debriefing would be beneficial following an extremely stressful event related to duty.

Critical Incident Stress Intervention After Loss of an Air Ambulance: Two-year Follow Up

1999 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew J. Macnab ◽  
James A. Russell ◽  
John P. Lowe ◽  
Faith Gagnon
Keyword(s):  
Stress Management ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Abnormal Behavior ◽  
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing ◽  
Air Ambulance ◽  
Critical Incident Stress ◽  
Stress Intervention ◽  
Stress Debriefing ◽  
The Impact

AbstractObjective:Following an air ambulance crash with five fatalities, critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) was provided for involved paramedics, physicians, and nurses. A study was conducted to evaluate the long-term effects of a critical incident with critical incident stress debriefing according to the Mitchell model.Methods:Six months following the incident, empirically designed questionnaires were mailed to all transport paramedics and directly involved medical staff, and a random sample of both nurses from the dispatch/receiving institution and paramedics from around the province. Twenty-four months post-incident, all members of the transport paramedics completed the Impact of Events Scale and the General Health Questionnaires.Results:There were no differences between groups on any scores, except for disturbed sleep patterns, bad dreams, and the need for personal counseling being greater among transport paramedics at one day. There was no correlation between how well the deceased individuals were known, amount of debriefing, and symptom severity. A trend was seen for those with pre-existing stress management routines to have less severe symptoms at six months (p = 0.07). At two years, 16% of transport paramedics still had significant abnormal behavior.Conclusion:CISD did not appear to affect the severity of stress symptoms, whereas having pre-existing stress management strategies may. These findings give justification for proceeding to a randomized, controlled trial of different levels of critical incident stress intervention.

Critical Incident Stress Debriefing for Health Care Workers

1994 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 301-315 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela S. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Workers ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
The United States ◽  
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing ◽  
Critical Incident Stress ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Stress Debriefing ◽  
The Impact

A critical incident may be defined as a life-threatening crisis that requires rescue or emergency care. These incidents evoke strong emotional responses from health care workers. Some of the responses produced are normal and some are pathological stress and grief reactions. The Critical Incident Stress Debriefing process (CISD) is a model designed to mitigate the impact of such incidents on health care workers, to facilitate their return to routine functioning, and to prevent pathological responses to the trauma that is an inherent aspect of their profession. CISD is relied upon by hospital and emergency rescue professionals throughout the United States. The process was observed at St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center/Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. This article examines the development of CISD and explores its implementation at St. Joseph's. Interviews conducted with health care workers who participated in the debriefing process following critical incident deaths are excerpted. Implications for death educators/counselors are discussed.

scholarly journals Inner strategies of coping with operational work amongst SAPS officers

2013 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Masefako A. Gumani ◽  
Mattheus E. Fourie ◽  
Martin J. Terre Blanche
Keyword(s):  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
The Body ◽  
Traumatic Experiences ◽  
Critical Incident Stress Debriefing ◽  
Critical Incident Stress ◽  
South African Police Service ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Value Add ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: Identification of the inner coping strategies used by South African Police Service (SAPS) officers who do operational work is something the SAPS should consider to ensure the officers’ management of trauma and efficiency at work.Research purpose: The objective of this study was to describe inner coping strategies used by officers in the Vhembe district (South Africa) to reconstruct stressful and traumatic experiences at work.Motivation for the study: Most studies on coping amongst SAPS officers focus on organisational stress and not on the impact of the officers’ operational work.Research design, approach and method: An exploratory design was used and 20 SAPS officers were selected through purposive sampling. In-depth face-to-face and telephone interviews, as well as diaries were used to collect data, which were analysed using content thematic data analysis.Main findings: The results showed that the main categories of coping strategies that led to management of the impact of operational work amongst the selected sample were centred around problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies, with some use of reappraisal and minimal use of avoidance. Considering the context of the officers’ work, the list of dimensions of inner coping strategies amongst SAPS officers should be extended.Practical/managerial implications: Intervention programmes designed for the SAPS, including critical incident stress debriefing, should take the operational officers’ inner strategies into account to improve the management of the impact of their work.Contribution/value-add: This study contributes to the body of knowledge on the inner coping strategies amongst SAPS officers, with special reference to operational work in a specific setting.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document