International Journal Of Emergency Mental Health[JOURNAL]
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200 papers
Improving resistance and resiliency through crisis intervention training.
Chan AO, Chan YH, Kee JP
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23350223
To our knowledge no research has been done on the impact of crisis intervention training programs on resistance and resiliency. This paper describes the use of a localized crisis intervention course and its impact on res...
To our knowledge no research has been done on the impact of crisis intervention training programs on resistance and resiliency. This paper describes the use of a localized crisis intervention course and its impact on resistance and resiliency in the participants after 2 days of training. Participants attending the localized version of ICISF Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support courses participated in a pre-course quiz and a post-course quiz. The overall resistance and resiliency scores improved at the end of the localized 2-Day Individual Crisis Intervention and Peer Support course. Organizations should view the training of employees in mental health and crisis intervention as contributing to the overall resiliency of the organization, in addition to providing services that facilitate the resilience and recovery of employees affected by personal or workplace stress or critical incidents.
Changing the paradigm: a novel framework for the study of resilience.
Nucifora FC, Subbarao I, Hsu EB
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23350222
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
A new taxonomy for understanding factors leading to suicide in the military.
Bartone PT
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707592
In the years since 2005, suicides among U.S. military personnel have risen dramatically, and continue to rise despite significant leadership attention to suicide awareness and prevention. Prevention efforts have proven u...
In the years since 2005, suicides among U.S. military personnel have risen dramatically, and continue to rise despite significant leadership attention to suicide awareness and prevention. Prevention efforts have proven unsuccessful, perhaps because they have focused on associated factors, rather than the underlying more fundamental contributing ones. Current suicide prevention and education programs in the military address the symptoms, while ignoring the underlying problem. This paper presents a new taxonomy for organizing and thinking about the multitude of factors associated with suicide in the military. We distinguish four sets of factors associated with suicide: (1) Formative factors are the long-term, fundamental causative factors in suicide, contributing to alienation and powerlessness; (2) Background factors are associated with suicide, but are not clearly causative, as for example age and sex; (3) Precipitating factors are the near-term causative factors, acute stressful events that can plunge the individual into sudden despair, such as a broken marriage; (4) Enabling factors are those that facilitate the act of suicide, but are not underlying causes. This includes for example alcohol and drugs, and easy access to weapons. To succeed, efforts to prevent suicide in the military should be directed to the formative factors. A model is presented in which military-specific formative factors are shown to contribute to alienation and powerlessness, key factors that can lead to suicide. Drawing from the hardiness model of resilience, some recommendations are provided for building up the sense of commitment (vs. alienation) and control (vs. powerlessness) in military personnel as a strategy for reducing suicide.
Law enforcement suicide: a national analysis.
Violanti JM, Robinson CF, Shen R
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707591
Previous research suggests that there is an elevated risk of suicide among workers within law enforcement occupations. The present study examined the proportionate mortality for suicide in law enforcement in comparison t...
Previous research suggests that there is an elevated risk of suicide among workers within law enforcement occupations. The present study examined the proportionate mortality for suicide in law enforcement in comparison to the US working population during 1999, 2003-2004, and 2007, based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health National Occupational Mortality Surveillance data. We analyzed data for all law enforcement occupations and focused on two specific law enforcement occupational categories-detectives/criminal investigators/ police and corrections officers. Suicides were also explored by race, gender and ethnicity. The results of the study showed proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) for suicide were significantly high for all races and sexes combined (all law enforcement--PMR = 169, 95% CI = 150-191, p < 0.01, 264 deaths; detectives/criminal investigators/police--PMR = 182, 95% CI = 150-218, p < 0.01, 115 deaths; and corrections officers-PMR = 141, 95% CI = 111-178, p < 0.01, 73 deaths). Detectives/criminal investigators/police had the higher suicide risk (an 82% increase) compared to corrections officers (a 41% increase). When analyzed by race and sex, suicide PMRs for Caucasian males were significantly high for both occupations-detectives/ criminal investigators/police (PMR = 133; 95% CI = 108-162, p < 0.01; corrections officers--PMR = 134, 95% CI = 102-173, p < 0.01). A significantly high (PMR = 244, p < 0.01, 95% CI = 147-380) ratio was found among Hispanic males in the law enforcement combined category, and a similarly high PMR was found among Hispanic detectives/criminal investigators/police (PMR = 388, p < 0.01, 95% CI = 168-765). There were small numbers of deaths among female and African American officers. The results included significantly increased risk for suicide among detectives/criminal investigators/police and corrections officers, which suggests that additional study could provide better data to inform us for preventive action.
Associations between protective factors and psychological distress vary by gender: the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress Study.
Andrew ME, Mnatsakanova A, Howsare JL … +5 more , Hartley TA, Charles LE, Burchfiel CM, McCanlies EC, Violanti JM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707590
Previous research by this group identified gender interactions between some protective factors and psychological distress in police officers. This study extends this result to include a larger sample of police officers a...
Previous research by this group identified gender interactions between some protective factors and psychological distress in police officers. This study extends this result to include a larger sample of police officers and a more comprehensive list of protective factors. These results confirm the conclusion that the commitment dimension of hardiness appears to have a stronger protective association with psychological distress among women. Furthermore, an avoidant coping style appears to be somewhat more positively associated with psychological distress among women. The personality trait of openness was also positively associated more strongly with PTSD symptoms in women than in men, while the trait of agreeableness was significantly protective in women and not in men. Hostility was generally positively associated with psychological distress with stronger association for PTSD symptoms and hostility in women.
Work hours and absenteeism among police officers.
Fekedulegn D, Burchfiel CM, Hartley TA … +4 more , Baughman P, Charles LE, Andrew ME, Violanti JM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707589
In this study, the cross-sectional association of paid work hours with episodes of work absence was examined in a cohort of police officers. Study subjects were participants from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational...
In this study, the cross-sectional association of paid work hours with episodes of work absence was examined in a cohort of police officers. Study subjects were participants from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) study examined between 2004 and 2009. Among 395 study participants with complete data, day-by-day work history records during the one-year period prior to date of examination were used to determine episodes of one-day and three day work absence. The Negative binomial regression analysis was used to examine rate ratios (RR) of work absence. Analyses were also stratified by gender. A one-hour increase in total work hours was associated with 5% reduction in rate of one-day work absence (RR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92 - 0.98) and with 8% reduction in rate of three-day work absence (RR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89 - 0.95). The association of total work hours with episodes of one-day work absence was significant only in men while the association with episodes of three-day work absence was evident in men and women. In conclusion, in this cohort of police officers, work hours were negatively associated with both durations of work absence (one-day, > or = 3 consecutive days).
Association of traumatic police event exposure with sleep quality and quantity in the BCOPS Study cohort.
Bond J, Hartley TA, Sarkisian K … +4 more , Andrew ME, Charles LE, Violanti JM, Burchfiel CM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707588
Police officers are exposed to traumatic and life-threatening events, which may lead to sleep problems. Prior studies of police officers have found them to have poor sleep quality and reduced sleep time. This study exami...
Police officers are exposed to traumatic and life-threatening events, which may lead to sleep problems. Prior studies of police officers have found them to have poor sleep quality and reduced sleep time. This study examined associations between traumatic events and sleep quality. Participants were 372 police officers from the Buffalo Cardio-metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study. Police incidents were measured by the Police Incident Survey; sleep quality and quantity were derived from the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to examine mean PSQI scores across categories of traumatic event frequency. Models were adjusted for age, education and ethnicity and stratified by sex and workload. In men, significant associations were found for the 'shooting of another officer' and sleep quality (p-value = 0.024) and sleep disturbances (p-value = 0.022). In women, seeing more 'abused children' was associated with poorer sleep quality (p-value = 0.050); increasing frequency of 'seeing victims of a serious traffic accident' was associated with shorter sleep duration (p-value = 0.032). Increased frequency of 'seeing dead bodies' was associated with poorer sleep quality (p-value = 0.040) and shorter sleep duration (p-value = 0.048). Among women with a high workload, a significant inverse association was found between 'seeing serious traffic accident victims' and global sleep quality (p-value = 0.031). In conclusion, a significant inverse association between frequency of select traumatic events and sleep quality was found in male and female police officers. The significant events differed by sex. Future research could examine longitudinal associations between career-long traumatic event exposures and sleep quality and how these associations differ by sex.
PTSD symptoms among police officers: associations with frequency, recency, and types of traumatic events.
Hartley TA, Violanti JM, Sarkisian K … +2 more , Andrew ME, Burchfiel CM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707587
Policing necessitates exposure to traumatic, violent and horrific events, which can lead to an increased risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the f...
Policing necessitates exposure to traumatic, violent and horrific events, which can lead to an increased risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of this study was to determine whether the frequency, recency, and type of police-specific traumatic events were associated with PTSD symptoms. Participants were 359 police officers from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study (2004-2009). Traumatic police events were measured using the Police Incident Survey (PIS); PTSD was measured using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C). Associations between PIS and PTSD symptoms were evaluated using ANCOVA. Contrast statements were used to test for linear trends. Increased frequency of specific types of events were associated with an increase in the PCL-C score in women, particularly women with no history of prior trauma and those who reported having a high workload (p < 0.05). More recent exposure to seeing severely assaulted victims was associated with higher PCL-C scores in men (p < 0.02). In summary, the frequency of several traumatic events was associated with higher PTSD scores in women, while the recency of seeing victims of assault was associated with higher PTSD scores in men. These results may be helpful in developing intervention strategies to reduce the psychological effects following exposure and these strategies may be different for men and women.
Military experience and levels of stress and coping in police officers.
Hartley TA, Violanti JM, Mnatsakanova A … +2 more , Andrew ME, Burchfiel CM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707586
Policing is a stressful occupation and working in this environment may make officers more vulnerable to adverse psychological and physiological outcomes. The impact of prior military experience on work stress and coping...
Policing is a stressful occupation and working in this environment may make officers more vulnerable to adverse psychological and physiological outcomes. The impact of prior military experience on work stress and coping strategies has not been well-studied in police. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine differences in levels of police-related stress and coping in officers with and without military experience. Participants were 452 police officers from the Buffalo Cardio-metabolic Occupational Police Stress Study Officers were categorized into three groups: non-military (n = 334), non-combat military (n = 84), and military with combat (n = 34). Age, sex and education adjusted levels of psychological stress and coping measures were compared across the three groups using ANCOVA. P-values were derived from post-hoc comparisons. Non-military police officers had significantly higher stress levels for physically and psychological threatening events compared to non-combat officers (p = 0.019). Non-military officers also reported experiencing significantly more organizational stressors and physically and psychologically threatening events in the past year than combat and non-combat officers (p < 0.05). Combat officers had significantly lower levels of planning and active coping styles compared to non-combat officers (p = 0.026, p = 0.032, respectively) and non-military officers (p = 0.010, p = 0.005, respectively). In summary, police officers without military experience reported experiencing more organizational and life-threatening events than officers who served in the military. Yet combat officers were less likely to utilize positive coping than non-combat and non-military officers. These findings demonstrate the potential positive influence of military experience on police stress. Further research is needed as military veterans return to police work.
Life expectancy in police officers: a comparison with the U.S. general population.
Violanti JM, Fekedulegn D, Hartley TA … +3 more , Andrew ME, Gu JK, Burchfiel CM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707585
Previous epidemiological research indicates that police officers have an elevated risk of death relative to the general population overall and for several specific causes. Despite the increased risk for mortality found i...
Previous epidemiological research indicates that police officers have an elevated risk of death relative to the general population overall and for several specific causes. Despite the increased risk for mortality found in previous research, controversy still exists over the life expectancy of police officers. The goal of the present study was to compare life expectancy of male police officers from Buffalo New York with the U.S. general male population utilizing an abridged life table method. On average, the life expectancy of Buffalo police officers in our sample was significantly lower than the U.S. population (mean difference in life expectancy = 21.9 years; 95% CI: 14.5-29.3; p < 0.0001). Life expectancy of police officers was shorter and differences were more pronounced in younger age categories. Additionally, police officers had a significantly higher average probability of death than did males in the general population (mean difference = 0.40; 95% CI: 0.26-0.54; p < 0.0001). The years of potential life lost (YPLL) for police officers was 21 times larger than that of the general population (Buffalo male officers vs. U.S. males = 21.7, 95% CI: 5.8-37.7). Possible reasons for shorter life expectancy among police are discussed, including stress, shift work, obesity, and hazardous environmental work exposures.
Introduction to special issue police stress and trauma: recent perspectives.
Violanti JM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2013 · PMID 24707584
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Hostage (crisis) negotiation: the potential role of negotiator personality, decision-making style, coping style and emotional intelligence on negotiator success.
Grubb A, Brown S
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156962
This article explores the potential role of hostage negotiator characteristics and the impact of psychological constructs on negotiator success. It explores the role of Personality, Decision-Making Style, Coping Style, C...
This article explores the potential role of hostage negotiator characteristics and the impact of psychological constructs on negotiator success. It explores the role of Personality, Decision-Making Style, Coping Style, Cognitive Coping Style and Emotion Regulation and Emotional Intelligence within high stress environments and occupations. The findings suggest that certain individual traits and characteristics may play a role in negotiator success, via the mediation of specific styles, which are conducive to effective crisis negotiation skills. It is proposed that these findings have application within the field of hostage/crisis negotiation in the format of guidance regarding the recruitment and selection of hostage negotiators and the identification of potential training needs within individual negotiators in order to maximize their efficacy within the field. In line with this, it is argued that a psychometric tool that assesses these constructs is developed in order to aid the process of hostage negotiation selection.
Behind the blue shadow: a theoretical perspective for detecting police suicide.
Violanti JM, Mnatsakanova A, Andrew ME
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156961
Police officers are at increased risk for suicide. Reluctance by this population to self-report suicidal thoughts requires detection on a different level. Based on existing theory, this paper discusses a possible alterna...
Police officers are at increased risk for suicide. Reluctance by this population to self-report suicidal thoughts requires detection on a different level. Based on existing theory, this paper discusses a possible alternative method for detecting suicidal tendencies among police officers: the suicide Implicit Association Test (IAT). The IAT measures the implicit strength of cognitive identification with death opposed to life. Previous work has demonstrated that a cognitive identification with death over life is associated with both suicide attempts and completions. The clinical application of implicit cognitions, along with other proven clinical measures, may be of value in detecting suicide ideation in police officers or other high suicide risk groups who are hesitant to explicitly report suicidal thoughts. More research is needed to help clarify the clinical usefulness of the IAT and its validity over time.
The effectiveness of cumulative stress debriefings with law enforcement personnel.
Young AT
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156960
This article describes an intervention based on the Mitchel and Everly (1995) model of Critical Incident Stress Management, yet used to address the cumulative stress associated with being a police officer. This intervent...
This article describes an intervention based on the Mitchel and Everly (1995) model of Critical Incident Stress Management, yet used to address the cumulative stress associated with being a police officer. This intervention occurred for eight weeks with thirty-eight police officers, while on duty. Half of this group met once a week as part of the treatment condition. There was no statistical difference between the control and treatment group. These officers viewed the intervention as helpful and reported that it should continue, which it did with one of the treatment groups. Implications for addressing the psychological needs of police officers and for future research are discussed.
The influence of indirect collective trauma on first responders' alcohol use.
Homish GG, Frazer BS, Carey MG
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156959
Previous research has suggested increased risk for negative outcomes such as increased alcohol use among first responders who are involved with the response to a community disaster; however it is not clear how indirect e...
Previous research has suggested increased risk for negative outcomes such as increased alcohol use among first responders who are involved with the response to a community disaster; however it is not clear how indirect exposure to a critical incident impacts first responders. This work examined the impact of secondary or indirect trauma on changes in alcohol use among urban firefighters who were not directly involved in the response to a large scale community-level disaster. Firefighters enrolled in larger trial of health outcomes whose interview period coincided with the crash of a commercial airplane were the basis for the current report. Aggregate level data on changes in alcohol consumption for these firefighters were examined pre- and post-incident. There was a significant increase in alcohol use following the critical incident. This increase did not occur immediately; it was observed within several days and peaked about 8 days post-incident. Post-hoc analyses revealed that the increased alcohol consumption persisted for several months, finally returning to pre-incident levels by 8 months post-incident. Indirect trauma effects, likely operationalized in part through the "brotherhood" of the firefighters, clearly placed firefighters at risk for negative outcomes following a disaster. Intervention/prevention efforts aimed at distress reduction among first responders should not solely focus on responders with direct involvement in a disaster.
Church attendee help seeking priorities after Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and Louisiana: a brief report.
Aten JD, Gonzalez RA, Boan DM … +3 more , Topping S, Livingston WV, Hosey JM
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156958
After a disaster, survivors find themselves seeking many types of help from others in their communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assist in mental health service planning by determining the type and p...
After a disaster, survivors find themselves seeking many types of help from others in their communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to assist in mental health service planning by determining the type and priority of support services sought by church attendees after Hurricane Katrina. Surveys were given to church attendees from two Mississippi coast and four New Orleans area churches that were directly affected by Hurricane Katrina participants were asked to review a list of 12 potential sources of help and were asked to rank the items chronologically from whom they had sought help first after Hurricane Katrina. Overall, participants sought out assistance from informal social networks such as family and friends first, followed by governmental and clergy support. This study also showed there may be differences in help-seeking behaviors between church attendees in more urban areas versus church attendees in more rural areas. Moreover, findings highlighted that very few church attendees seek out mental health services during the initial impact phase of a disaster. Since timely engagement with mental health services is important for resolving trauma, strategies that link professional mental health services with clergy and government resources following a disaster could improve the engagement with mental health professionals and improve mental health outcomes. Disaster mental health clinical implications and recommendations are offered for psychologists based on these findings.
The burden of disaster: Part I. Challenges and opportunities within a child's social ecology.
Noffsinger MA, Pfefferbaum B, Pfefferbaum RL … +2 more , Sherrib K, Norris FH
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156957
Child development and adaptation are best understood as biological and psychological individual processes occurring within the context of interconnecting groups, systems, and communities which, along with family, constit...
Child development and adaptation are best understood as biological and psychological individual processes occurring within the context of interconnecting groups, systems, and communities which, along with family, constitute the child's social ecology. This first of two articles describes the challenges and opportunities within a child's social ecology consisting of Micro-, Meso-, Exo-, and Macrosystems. The parent-child relationship, the most salient Microsystem influence in children's lives, plays an influential role in children's reactions to and recovery from disasters. Children, parents, and other adults participate in Mesosystem activities at schools and faith-based organizations. The Exosystem--including workplaces, social agencies, neighborhood, and mass media--directly affects important adults in children's lives. The Macrosystem affects disaster response and recovery indirectly through intangible cultural, social, economic, and political structures and processes. Children's responses to adversity occur in the context of these dynamically interconnected and interdependent nested environments, all of which endure the burden of disaster Increased understanding of the influences of and the relationships between key components contributes to recovery and rebuilding efforts, limiting disruption to the child and his or her social ecology A companion article (R. L. Pfefferbaum et al., in press) describes interventions across the child's social ecology.
Tornados and terrorists.
Miller L
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23156956
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Just show up: the importance of caring attachments in emergency services.
Flannery RB
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23980494
Caring attachments to others are important for health, well-being, and longevity. This is no less true when EMS are providing needed medical services to victims at a vulnerable moment in the victims' lives. This article...
Caring attachments to others are important for health, well-being, and longevity. This is no less true when EMS are providing needed medical services to victims at a vulnerable moment in the victims' lives. This article reviews the recent medical and behavioral science findings of the psychological and physiological benefits of caring attachments. Special attention is paid to the societal state of anomie and individuals' differing levels of optimal stimulation. The review then focuses on how attachments can be utilized by EMS as they provide services to victims and how these same health benefits may accrue to their colleagues onsite as well.
Introducing embedded indigenous psychological support teams: a suggested addition to psychological first aid in an international context.
Edwards-Stewart A, Ahmad ZS, Thoburn JW … +4 more , Furman R, Lambert AJ, Shelly L, Gunn G
Int J Emerg Ment Health · 2012 · PMID 23980493
The current article introduces Embedded Indigenous Psychological Support Teams (IPST) as a possible addition to current disaster relief efforts. This article highlights psychological first aid in an international context...
The current article introduces Embedded Indigenous Psychological Support Teams (IPST) as a possible addition to current disaster relief efforts. This article highlights psychological first aid in an international context by drawing on mainstream disaster relief models such as The American Red Cross, Critical Incident Stress Management, and Flexible Psychological First Aid. IPST are explained as teams utilizing techniques from both CISM and FPFA with a focus on resiliency. It is currently theorized that in utilizing IPST existing disaster relief models may be more effective in mitigating negative physical or mental health consequences post-disaster.
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