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Okhrimenko IM, Fedyk AO, Zhygalkina NV, Yemanov VV, Trobiuk VI, Mіroshnychenko OM, Yermak SM. Changes in somatic and mental health indicators of instructor-officers under stress. WIADOMOSCI LEKARSKIE (WARSAW, POLAND : 1960) 2024; 77:293-298. [PMID: 38592992 DOI: 10.36740/wlek202402116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Aim: To investigate changes in the indicators of somatic and mental health of instructor-officers in higher educational institutions with specific learning environment under stress. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and Methods: The research involved instructor-officers of the National Academy of Internal Affairs (Ukraine, n = 86) with different teaching experiences: up to 10 years (group 1, n = 22), from 10 to 20 years (group 2, n = 31), over 20 years (group 3, n = 33). The study of somatic and mental health was carried out in September-October 2021 (Stage 1) and in September-October 2023 (Stage 2). RESULTS Results: Significantly negative changes in the indicators of somatic and mental health of instructor-officers with different experiences of teaching under stress were found. The most pronounced negative changes were found in the body weight index, vital index, strength index, Martin-Kushelevsky index, and emotional exhaustion of instructors. Among the studied groups of instructor-officers, the greatest changes occurred in instructors with 10 to 20 years of experience and more than 20 years, and the least - in instructors with up to 10 years of experience. CONCLUSION Conclusions: It was found that the professional activities of instructor-officers, which take place under stress, negatively affect both the somatic and mental health of instructors, regardless of their teaching experience. Such activities lead to an increase in body weight, deterioration of the functioning of the main body systems, and increased professional burnout of instructors. This can lead to several psychosomatic disorders and diseases in instructor-officers and a decrease in the quality of their teaching activities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrii O Fedyk
- BOHDAN KHMELNYTSKYI NATIONAL ACADEMY OF THE STATE BORDER GUARD SERVICE OF UKRAINE, KHMELNYTSKYI, UKRAINE
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Okhrimenko IM, Halych YV, Vavryk LV, Volkov MS, Krapivina NV. Self-assessment of somatic and mental health by instructor-officers under the influence of negative factors of professional activities. WIADOMOSCI LEKARSKIE (WARSAW, POLAND : 1960) 2024; 77:287-292. [PMID: 38592991 DOI: 10.36740/wlek202402115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Aim: To investigate the impact of negative factors of professional activities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and martial law in Ukraine on the somatic and mental health of instructor-officers with different teaching experiences. PATIENTS AND METHODS Materials and Methods: The research involved 131 instructor-officers with different teaching experiences. Three groups of instructor-officers were formed: Group 1 - instructors with up to 10 years of teaching experience (n = 30), Group 2 - instructors with 10 to 20 years of experience (n = 47), Group 3 - instructors with more than 20 years of experience (n = 54). The self-assessment of somatic and mental health was carried out using a questionnaire developed by the authors. RESULTS Results: The negative impact of the factors of professional activities in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and martial law in Ukraine on the somatic and mental health of instructor-officers was established. More than 50 % of the instructors rated their health as satisfactory, and more than 20 % as poor. The overwhelming majority of instructors reported a slight (over 40 %) and significant (over 30 %) deterioration in both somatic and mental health. Health problems over the past year have interfered with the performance of professional duties for more than 80 % of instructor-officers. CONCLUSION Conclusions: The systematic impact of negative factors can lead to some psychosomatic disorders and diseases in instructor-officers and a decrease in the quality of their teaching activities. This necessitates the search for ways to restore the somatic and mental health of instructor-officers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lesia V Vavryk
- NATIONAL ACADEMY OF THE SECURITY SERVICE OF UKRAINE, KYIV, UKRAINE
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Willemin-Petignat L, Anders R, Ogi S, Putois B. Validation and Psychometric Properties of the German Operational and Organizational Police Stress Questionnaires. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:6831. [PMID: 37835101 PMCID: PMC10572357 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20196831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Working in the police force is an operationally and organizationally stressful job. Suitable psychometric tools are needed to detect and study the psychosocial risks of these professionals. The original version contains 40 items, which may be too long for clinical use or as a research control measure. The main aim of this study is to validate the Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) in German. The secondary objective is to validate a shorter version. METHOD After translation and counter translation of the PSQ-G by a committee of experts, 10 participants pre-tested the comprehension of an intermediate version, allowing the development of a final version that was submitted to a psychometric validation plan with 2314 German-speaking officers. Structure, reliability, and convergent, divergent, and discriminant validities were tested for each sample. RESULTS The German version of the PSQ performed well psychometrically. We have created a short version of 14 items with good psychometric properties, 7 items for each subscale: operational stressors and organizational stressors. CONCLUSION This study validated a German version of the PSQ and provides a reliable measure of stress processes in the police force. A short version is now available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauriane Willemin-Petignat
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, 3900 Brig, Switzerland
- Psychological Service, Bern Police Department, 3001 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Royce Anders
- Department of Psychology, Epsylon Laboratory UR4556, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, 34000 Montpellier, France
| | - Sabrina Ogi
- Faculty of Applied Faculty, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, 4600 Olten, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Putois
- Faculty of Psychology, UniDistance Suisse, 3900 Brig, Switzerland
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, National Centre for Scientific Research UMR 5292—National Institute of Health and Medical Research U1028, 69675 Bron, France
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Rasteiro A, Santos V, Massuça LM. Physical Training Programs for Tactical Populations: Brief Systematic Review. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:967. [PMID: 37046894 PMCID: PMC10094380 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11070967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
This review aims (i) to identify and analyze the physical training programs used for tactical personnel (TP) and (ii) to understand the effects of physical training programs on the health and fitness, and occupational performance of tactical personnel. A literature search used the keywords 'Physical Training Program', 'Police', 'Law Enforcement', and 'Firefighter'. A total of 23 studies out of 11.508 analyzed were included. All studies showed acceptable methodological quality in assessing physical fitness (PF), and training programs' effect sizes (Cohen's d) on PF attributes were calculated. The results showed that physical training programs (duration > four weeks) can improve (medium-to-large effects) (i) measures of physical fitness and (ii) performance in simulations of occupationally specific tasks. This review provides summary information (i) to help select (or adjust) physical training programs for TP and (ii) to clarify the effect of different occupational-specific training interventions on fitness measures and health-related parameters for TP.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Rasteiro
- Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security, 1300-663 Lisbon, Portugal;
| | - Vanessa Santos
- Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, 1495-751 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal;
- KinesioLab, Research Unit in Human Movement Analysis, Instituto Piaget, 2805-059 Almada, Portugal
| | - Luís Miguel Massuça
- ICPOL Research Center, Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security, 1300-663 Lisbon, Portugal
- Research Center for Sport, Physical Education, Exercise and Health, CIDEFES, Universidade Lusófona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
- CIFI2D, Faculty of Sport, Universidade do Porto, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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Okhrimenko IM, Bilevych NO, Kryzhanovska OV, Mіroshnichenko OM, Yermak SM, Razumeyko NS, Liakhova N. Substantiation of the Program of Recreational and Health-promoting Training Sessions with Instructors Officers During their Professional Activities. ACTA BALNEOLOGICA 2023. [DOI: 10.36740/abal202301111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2023]
Abstract
Aim: The aim is to substantiate the program of recreational and health-promoting training sessions with instructor officers of higher educational institutions with specific learning environment of different ages during their professional activities.
Materials and Methods: The research was conducted in 2019-2022. Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of literary sources, pedagogical observation, programming, modeling. 140 instructor officers (men) of different age groups were involved in the research.
Results: On the basis of the analysis of literary sources, the study of the practical experience of instructional activities, we substantiated the authors’ program of recreational and health-promoting training sessions with the instructor officers, the essence of which is to increase the amount of motor activity of the instructional staff through the use of simple and available means of general physical training, taking into account instructors’ age, their state of health, the focus of the training sessions and the time of the training sessions during the day.
Conclusions: As a result of the implementation of the authors’ program in the educational process, changes were made to the organization of physical training of the instructional staff, which provide for conducting training sessions according to a “flexible” schedule depending on the academic load of instructors; the ratio of the volumes of general and special physical training has been changed, which provides for an increase in the specific weight of general physical training; recreational and health-promoting training sessions have been introduced, depending on the time of the training session during the working day.
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Carleton RN, McCarron M, Krätzig GP, Sauer-Zavala S, Neary JP, Lix LM, Fletcher AJ, Camp RD, Shields RE, Jamshidi L, Nisbet J, Maguire KQ, MacPhee RS, Afifi TO, Jones NA, Martin RR, Sareen J, Brunet A, Beshai S, Anderson GS, Cramm H, MacDermid JC, Ricciardelli R, Rabbani R, Teckchandani TA, Asmundson GJG. Assessing the impact of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) protocol and Emotional Resilience Skills Training (ERST) among diverse public safety personnel. BMC Psychol 2022; 10:295. [PMID: 36494748 PMCID: PMC9733219 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-022-00989-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., border services personnel, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police, public safety communicators) are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events. Such events contribute to substantial and growing challenges from posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs), including but not limited to posttraumatic stress disorder. METHODS The current protocol paper describes the PSP PTSI Study (i.e., design, measures, materials, hypotheses, planned analyses, expected implications, and limitations), which was originally designed to evaluate an evidence-informed, proactive system of mental health assessment and training among Royal Canadian Mounted Police for delivery among diverse PSP (i.e., firefighters, municipal police, paramedics, public safety communicators). Specifically, the PSP PTSI Study will: (1) adapt, implement, and assess the impact of a system for ongoing (i.e., annual, monthly, daily) evidence-based assessments; (2) evaluate associations between demographic variables and PTSI; (3) longitudinally assess individual differences associated with PTSI; and, (4) assess the impact of providing diverse PSP with a tailored version of the Emotional Resilience Skills Training originally developed for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in mitigating PTSIs based on the Unified Protocol for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders. Participants are assessed pre- and post-training, and then at a follow-up 1-year after training. The assessments include clinical interviews, self-report surveys including brief daily and monthly assessments, and daily biometric data. The current protocol paper also describes participant recruitment and developments to date. DISCUSSION The PSP PTSI Study is an opportunity to implement, test, and improve a set of evidence-based tools and training as part of an evidence-informed solution to protect PSP mental health. The current protocol paper provides details to inform and support translation of the PSP PTSI Study results as well as informing and supporting replication efforts by other researchers. TRIAL REGISTRATION Hypotheses Registration: aspredicted.org, #90136. Registered 7 March 2022-Prospectively registered. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT05530642. Registered 1 September 2022-Retrospectively registered. The subsequent PSP PTSI Study results are expected to benefit the mental health of all participants and, ultimately, all PSP.
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Affiliation(s)
- R. Nicholas Carleton
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Michelle McCarron
- Research Department, Saskatchewan Health Authority, Regina, SK S4S 0A5 Canada
| | - Gregory P. Krätzig
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Shannon Sauer-Zavala
- Treatment Innovation for Psychological Services Research Program, Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506 USA
| | - J. Patrick Neary
- Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Lisa M. Lix
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W3 Canada
| | - Amber J. Fletcher
- Department of Sociology and Social Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Ronald D. Camp
- Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9 Canada
| | | | - Laleh Jamshidi
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Jolan Nisbet
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Kirby Q. Maguire
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Renée S. MacPhee
- Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5 Canada
| | - Tracie O. Afifi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W5 Canada
| | - Nicholas A. Jones
- Department of Justice Studies, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Ronald R. Martin
- Faculty of Education, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Jitender Sareen
- Department of Psychiatry, Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0W5 Canada
| | - Alain Brunet
- McGill’s Psychiatry Department and Douglas Institute Research Center, 6875 Lasalle Boulevard, Verdun, QC H4H 1R3 Canada
| | - Shadi Beshai
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | | | - Heidi Cramm
- School of Rehabilitation Therapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6 Canada
| | - Joy C. MacDermid
- School of Physiotherapy, Western University, London, ON N6A 3K7 Canada
| | - Rosemary Ricciardelli
- School of Maritime Studies, Fisheries and Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL A1C 5R3 Canada
| | - Rasheda Rabbani
- George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Community Health Sciences, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada
| | - Taylor A. Teckchandani
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
| | - Gordon J. G. Asmundson
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK S4S 0A2 Canada
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Carleton RN, Krätzig GP, Sauer-Zavala S, Neary JP, Lix LM, Fletcher AJ, Afifi TO, Brunet A, Martin R, Hamelin KS, Teckchandani TA, Jamshidi L, Maguire KQ, Gerhard D, McCarron M, Hoeber O, Jones NA, Stewart SH, Keane TM, Sareen J, Dobson K, Asmundson GJG. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Study: protocol for a prospective investigation of mental health risk and resilience factors. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can 2022; 42:319-333. [PMID: 35993603 PMCID: PMC9514212 DOI: 10.24095/hpcdp.42.8.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), like all public safety personnel (PSP), are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events that contribute to posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). Addressing PTSI is impeded by the limited available research. In this protocol paper, we describe the RCMP Study, part of the concerted efforts by the RCMP to reduce PTSI by improving access to evidence-based assessments, treatments and training as well as participant recruitment and RCMP Study developments to date. The RCMP Study has been designed to (1) develop, deploy and assess the impact of a system for ongoing annual, monthly and daily evidence-based assessments; (2) evaluate associations between demographic variables and PTSI; (3) longitudinally assess individual differences associated with PTSI; (4) augment the RCMP Cadet Training Program with skills to proactively mitigate PTSI; and (5) assess the impact of the augmented training condition (ATC) versus the standard training condition (STC). Participants in the STC (n = 480) and ATC (n = 480) are assessed before and after training and annually for 5 years on their deployment date; they also complete brief monthly and daily surveys. The RCMP Study results are expected to benefit the mental health of all participants, RCMP and PSP by reducing PTSI among all who serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Nicholas Carleton
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Gregory P Krätzig
- Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Shannon Sauer-Zavala
- Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America
| | - J Patrick Neary
- Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Lisa M Lix
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Amber J Fletcher
- Department of Sociology and Social Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Tracie O Afifi
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Alain Brunet
- Department of Psychiatry and Douglas Institute Research Centre, McGill University, Verdun, Quebec, Canada
| | - Ron Martin
- Faculty of Education, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | | | - Taylor A Teckchandani
- Faculty of Kinesiology & Health Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Laleh Jamshidi
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Kirby Q Maguire
- Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - David Gerhard
- Department of Computer Science, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | | | - Orland Hoeber
- Department of Computer Science, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Nicholas A Jones
- Department of Justice Studies, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Sherry H Stewart
- Mood, Anxiety, and Addiction Comorbidity (MAAC) Lab, Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology & Neuroscience, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Terence M Keane
- National Center for PTSD, Behavioral Science Division, VA Boston Healthcare System & Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Jitender Sareen
- Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Keith Dobson
- Department of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Gordon J G Asmundson
- Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Anders R, Willemin-Petignat L, Rolli Salathé C, Samson AC, Putois B. Profiling Police Forces against Stress: Risk and Protective Factors for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Burnout in Police Officers. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:9218. [PMID: 35954576 PMCID: PMC9368562 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Police officers are frequently exposed to highly stressful situations at work and have an increased risk to develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and burnout (BO). It is currently not well understood which officers are most at risk to develop these disorders. The aim of this study was to determine which coping strategies and personality traits could act as protective or risk factors in relation to PTSD and BO. The second aim, in the interest of designating preventive and therapeutical measures, was to determine whether certain profiles of police officers could be identified as high risk for developing mental disorders. Herein, 1073 French-speaking police officers in Switzerland reported in an online survey about their PTSD and BO symptoms, anxiety, depression, suicide ideation, coping strategies, occupational stress, and personality factors. The cluster analysis highlighted three principal profiles of police officers: those who are not at risk of developing pathologies because they are not exposed or insensitive to these stressors, and those who are, among which personality and coping strategies oriented the risk of developing PTSD or BO. These same protective and risk factors were also corroborated in the linear and logistic regression analyses. These results may suggest that a crucial opportunity for mitigating mental health issues in the force could consist of screening recruits for risk-related personality traits and orienting them towards psychological training programs for the development of functional coping strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Royce Anders
- EPSYLON Laboratory, Department of Psychology, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, F34000 Montpellier, France
- EMC Laboratory, Institute of Psychology, University of Lyon 2, F69500 Bron, France
| | | | - Cornelia Rolli Salathé
- Faculty of Psychology, Unidistance Suisse, 3900 Brig, Switzerland; (C.R.S.); (A.C.S.); (B.P.)
- Occupational Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Andrea C. Samson
- Faculty of Psychology, Unidistance Suisse, 3900 Brig, Switzerland; (C.R.S.); (A.C.S.); (B.P.)
- Institute of Special Education, University of Fribourg, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Putois
- Faculty of Psychology, Unidistance Suisse, 3900 Brig, Switzerland; (C.R.S.); (A.C.S.); (B.P.)
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM, CNRS, University of Lyon 1, F69675 Bron, France
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Massuça LM, Santos V, Monteiro LF. Identifying the Physical Fitness and Health Evaluations for Police Officers: Brief Systematic Review with an Emphasis on the Portuguese Research. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11071061. [PMID: 36101439 PMCID: PMC9312045 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Revised: 07/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Police health and physical fitness are essential for improving quality of life and police skills. This review aims to identify and analyze international and Portuguese studies that have investigated the relationships between various aspects of physical fitness as specified by job descriptions and to understand the health-related requirements of police officers. This will help to select the most used fitness measures and health-related parameters for police officers and improve training curricula for these occupational groups. Abstract This review aims (i) to identify and analyze the most used physical fitness tests for police officers (from international and Portuguese studies) and (ii) to understand the health-related physical fitness requirements according to the job descriptions of police officers. A total of 29 studies were included. Eighteen were from around the world and eleven were related to Portuguese police officers. All studies showed acceptable methodological quality in the assessment of physical fitness, and the most used fitness components were muscular strength, endurance, power, aerobic and anaerobic capacity, flexibility, and agility. For the analysis of health parameters, they are insufficient at the international level, while at the Portuguese level we have an acceptable sample. We try to analyze the relationship between physical fitness and health, but the studies conducted so far are insufficient. This review provides summary information (i) to help select the most used fitness measures and health-related parameters for police officers, and (ii) that will serve as a starting point for evaluating the relationship between the health and physical fitness of police officers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís M. Massuça
- ICPOL Research Centre, Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security, 1300-352 Lisbon, Portugal; (V.S.); (L.F.M.)
- CIDEFES, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
- Correspondence: or or ; Tel.: +351-967033079
| | - Vanessa Santos
- ICPOL Research Centre, Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security, 1300-352 Lisbon, Portugal; (V.S.); (L.F.M.)
- CIPER, Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisbon, 1495-751 Cruz Quebrada, Portugal
| | - Luís F. Monteiro
- ICPOL Research Centre, Higher Institute of Police Sciences and Internal Security, 1300-352 Lisbon, Portugal; (V.S.); (L.F.M.)
- CIDEFES, Lusófona University, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
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Wong CM, Craig L, Bradley‐Geist J, Kaplan S. Police Recruits’ Predicted and Felt Emotions During Organizational Socialization. APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY-AN INTERNATIONAL REVIEW-PSYCHOLOGIE APPLIQUEE-REVUE INTERNATIONALE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/apps.12400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lydia Craig
- Department of Psychology George Mason University
| | | | - Seth Kaplan
- Department of Psychology George Mason University
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Baldwin S, Bennell C, Blaskovits B, Brown A, Jenkins B, Lawrence C, McGale H, Semple T, Andersen JP. A Reasonable Officer: Examining the Relationships Among Stress, Training, and Performance in a Highly Realistic Lethal Force Scenario. Front Psychol 2022; 12:759132. [PMID: 35111100 PMCID: PMC8803048 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.759132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Under conditions of physiological stress, officers are sometimes required to make split-second life-or-death decisions, where deficits in performance can have tragic outcomes, including serious injury or death and strained police-community relations. The current study assessed the performance of 122 active-duty police officers during a realistic lethal force scenario to examine whether performance was affected by the officer's level of operational skills training, years of police service, and stress reactivity. Results demonstrated that the scenario produced elevated heart rates (i.e., 150 beats per minute), as well as perceptual and cognitive distortions, such as tunnel vision, commensurate with those observed in naturalistic use of force encounters. The average performance rating from the scenario was 59%, with 27% of participants making at least one lethal force error. Elevated stress reactivity was a predictor of poorer performance and increased lethal force errors. Level of training and years of police service had differential and complex effects on both performance and lethal force errors. Our results illustrate the need to critically reflect on police training practices and continue to make evidence-based improvements to training. The findings also highlight that while training may significantly improve outcomes, flawless performance is likely not probable, given the limits of human performance under stress. Implications for the objective reasonableness standard, which is used to assess the appropriateness of force in courts of law, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Baldwin
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Craig Bennell
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | | | - Andrew Brown
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Bryce Jenkins
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Chris Lawrence
- Police Research Lab, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Heather McGale
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tori Semple
- Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Judith P. Andersen
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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12
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Kleygrewe L, Oudejans RRD, Koedijk M, Hutter RI(V. Police Training in Practice: Organization and Delivery According to European Law Enforcement Agencies. Front Psychol 2022; 12:798067. [PMID: 35111108 PMCID: PMC8801945 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.798067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Police training plays a crucial role in the development of police officers. Because the training of police officers combines various educational components and is governed by organizational guidelines, police training is a complex, multifaceted topic. The current study investigates training at six European law enforcement agencies and aims to identify strengths and challenges of current training organization and practice. We interviewed a total of 16 police instructors and seven police coordinators with conceptual training tasks. A thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006; Terry et al., 2017) was conducted and results organized in the two main themes evident across all six law enforcement agencies: organization of training and delivery of training. Results show that governmental structures and police executive boards are seen as the primary authorities that define the training framework in which police instructors operate. These administrative structures regulate distant and immediate resources, such as available training time, training facilities, equipment, and personnel. Within the confines of available resources and predetermined training frameworks, results indicate that police instructors thoroughly enjoy teaching, creating supportive and motivating learning environments, and applying their personal learning perspectives to training. Nonetheless, police instructors are critical of the level of training they are able to achieve with the available resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisanne Kleygrewe
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute of Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Raôul R. D. Oudejans
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute of Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Faculty of Sports and Nutrition, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Matthijs Koedijk
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute of Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - R. I. (Vana) Hutter
- Department of Human Movement Sciences, Amsterdam Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Institute of Brain and Behaviour Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement, Nederlands Studiecentrum Criminaliteit en Rechtshandhaving, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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13
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Esquierdo-Leal JL, Houmanfar RA. Creating Inclusive and Equitable Cultural Practices by Linking Leadership to Systemic Change. Behav Anal Pract 2021; 14:499-512. [PMID: 33613858 PMCID: PMC7877509 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-020-00519-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
From a global pandemic to the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Rayshard Brooks, and others in the Black community, the year 2020 has cast light on long-standing social injustices. With this has come a critical social movement and a call for change-specifically, a call for transformative solutions that address not only new challenges but also centuries of systemic issues, such as systemic oppression and systemic racism. Leadership across the globe has scrambled to answer the call, some issuing statements committed to change, others engaging in necessary action. What is critical, however, is that leadership understands the cultural factors that have given rise to centuries of oppressive practices, and that leaders are held accountable for the commitments they have expressed. Leadership must promote, create, and maintain prosocial, inclusive, and healthy work environments. This requires new cultural practices and a focused organizational model. Equally important is the need to resolve ambiguity and communicate effectively, with strategic consideration of constituent perspectives and needs. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to discuss the contribution of behavior analysis to addressing systemic oppression, as well as the pivotal role leadership communication plays in occasioning social change. It is our hope that this conceptual work will inspire behavior scientists to advance the field of behavior analysis and social movements in the direction of equitable, prosocial change that dismantles systemic oppression.
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14
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Ghezzi EL, Funk JA, Houmanfar RA. Restructuring Law Enforcement Agencies to Support Prosocial Values: A Behavior-Scientific Model for Addressing Police Brutality. Behav Anal Pract 2021; 15:1184-1192. [PMID: 36605156 PMCID: PMC9745004 DOI: 10.1007/s40617-020-00530-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Policing in the United States is irrefutably a component of systemic racism. The history of police brutality against the Black community can be found in our amendments, laws, and cultural practices-it is an infrastructure of oppression. Though police brutality is not a new development, it has reached a fever pitch with the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Recent calls to defund the police put law enforcement agencies squarely, and rightly, in the spotlight of social justice movements and reform. Current issues operating within law enforcement agencies ensure the perpetuation of a system that reinforces the status quo and gives nothing back to the communities that have been victims of brutality. A philosophical restructuring of how law enforcement agencies interact with the communities they serve is paramount. The purpose of this article is to propose a behavior-scientific model aimed at both the individual and organizational levels of law enforcement agencies using elements of acceptance and commitment training and Elinor Ostrom's core design principles, called Prosocial. The Prosocial model promotes the clarification of values within organizations and the communities they serve and reinforces values-consistent action. The model therefore has the potential to be a useful tool to combat systemic racism and police brutality within law enforcement agencies. The proposed model will be discussed in the context of who created it (White academicians), who will be implementing it (law enforcement), and ultimately who should benefit from it above and beyond the cessation of police brutality and without psychological or financial cost (Black communities).
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth L. Ghezzi
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XBehavior Analysis Program, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - Janie A. Funk
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XBehavior Analysis Program, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557 USA
| | - Ramona A. Houmanfar
- grid.266818.30000 0004 1936 914XBehavior Analysis Program, Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St, Reno, NV 89557 USA
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15
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Blumberg DM, Papazoglou K, Schlosser MD. Organizational Solutions to the Moral Risks of Policing. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17207461. [PMID: 33066392 PMCID: PMC7602265 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17207461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
In addition to the physical and emotional challenges faced by law enforcement professionals, the job confronts officers with numerous moral risks. The moral risks include moral distress, moral injury, ethical exhaustion, compassion fatigue, and practices that lead to lapses in ethical decision-making. The paper focuses on what police agencies can do to better address the moral risks of policing. These moral risks are central to officer wellness and, thus, a crucial component of officers’ operational readiness. Strategies are presented that will improve prevention efforts, including recruiting and hiring, training, supervision, and promotional practices. Additionally, the paper offers recommendations for effective approaches to intervention with officers who have displayed the effects of these moral risks. Finally, the paper highlights the kind of law enforcement leaders who are best able to implement strategies designed to prevent negative outcomes associated with the moral risks of policing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. Blumberg
- California School of Professional Psychology, Alliant International University, San Diego, CA 92129, USA
- Correspondence:
| | | | - Michael D. Schlosser
- Police Training Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA;
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16
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Queirós C, Passos F, Bártolo A, Faria S, Fonseca SM, Marques AJ, Silva CF, Pereira A. Job Stress, Burnout and Coping in Police Officers: Relationships and Psychometric Properties of the Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:E6718. [PMID: 32942672 PMCID: PMC7557776 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17186718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Policing is a stressful occupation, which impairs police officers' physical/mental health and elicits burnout, aggressive behaviors and suicide. Resilience and coping facilitate the management of job stress policing, which can be operational or organizational. All these constructs are associated, and they must be assessed by instruments sensitive to policing idiosyncrasies. This study aims to identify operational and organizational stress, burnout, resilient coping and coping strategies among police officers, as well to analyze the psychometric properties of a Portuguese version of the Organizational Police Stress Questionnaire. A cross-sectional study, with online questionnaires, collected data of 1131 police officers. With principal components and confirmatory factor analysis, PSQ-org revealed adequate psychometric properties, despite the exclusion of four items, and revealed a structure with two factors (poor management and lack of resources, and responsibilities and burden). Considering cut-off points, 88.4% police officers presented high operational stress, 87.2% high organizational stress, 10.9% critical values for burnout and 53.8% low resilient coping, preferring task-orientated than emotion and avoidance coping. Some differences were found according to gender, age and job experience. Job stress and burnout correlated negatively with resilient coping, enthusiasm towards job and task-orientated coping. Results reinforce the importance to invest on police officers' occupational health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Queirós
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Passos
- Psychology Unit of the Portuguese National Police, 2605-000 Belas-Sintra, Portugal
| | - Ana Bártolo
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Sara Faria
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | | | | | - Carlos F Silva
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Anabela Pereira
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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17
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Queirós C, Passos F, Bártolo A, Marques AJ, da Silva CF, Pereira A. Burnout and Stress Measurement in Police Officers: Literature Review and a Study With the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire. Front Psychol 2020; 11:587. [PMID: 32457673 PMCID: PMC7221164 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Research has demonstrated that policing is a stressful occupation and that this stress has a negative impact on police officers' mental and physical health, performance, and interactions with citizens. Mental health at the workplace has become a concern due to the costs of depression, anxiety, burnout, and even suicide, which is high among police officers. To ameliorate occupational health, it is therefore crucial to identify stress and burnout levels on a regular basis. However, the instruments frequently used to measure stress have not valorized the specificity of policing tasks. This study aims to: (i) conduct a literature review to identify questionnaires used to assess occupational stress and burnout among police officers; (ii) analyze the psychometric characteristics of a Portuguese version of Operational Police Stress Questionnaire (PSQ-Op); and, using the PSQ-Op and other questionnaires, (iii) to identify operational stress, burnout, and distress levels among Portuguese police officers. The literature review identified 108 studies which use a multiplicity of questionnaires to measure burnout or occupational stress among police officers, but few studies use specific police stress questionnaires. Sample sizes were mostly below 500 participants and studies were mainly developed in the last decade in the USA and Brazil, but also in another 24 countries, showing the extent of the interest in this topic. This study applied to 2057 police officers from the National Portuguese Police, a force policing urban centers, and used the PSQ-Op, as well the Spanish Burnout Inventory and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. The results show that the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of PSQ-Op are adequate. Factorial analysis revealed two dimensions defined as social and work issues, which were associated with measures of distress and burnout. Fit indices suggested a second-order solution called operational police stress. Overall, and considering the scale range of each questionnaire, the results showed moderate values of operational stress, distress, and burnout. However, considering their cut-off points, 85% of the sample presented high operational stress levels, 11% critical values for burnout, and 28% high distress levels, with 55% of the sample at risk of a psychological disorder. These results reinforce the need to prevent stress and to invest in police officers' occupational health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Queirós
- Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Fernando Passos
- Psychology Unit of the Portuguese National Police, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Bártolo
- Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | | | - Anabela Pereira
- Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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