Stability of posttraumatic intrusions of police officers

作者：Schuette Nils; Baer Olaf; Weiss Udo; Heuft Gereon

来源：Psychotherapeut, 2010, 55(3): 233-240.

DOI：10.1007/s00278-010-0745-8

• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Trauma
• Police
• Acute stress reaction

This prospective study examined the course of posttraumatic symptoms of police officers across a time span of 12 months (T1: directly, T2: 6 months and T3: 12 months) after confrontation with an event of potentially traumatic nature while on duty.
A total of 50 police officers were diagnosed 6 months after the event (T2) using a structured interview (SCID-I and SCID-II). The global functioning was operationalized at T1 and T2 by the Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) and the degree of impairment by the Impairment Score (IS). Furthermore, the intensity of posttraumatic symptoms was assessed at T1 and T2 by the Impact of Event Scale - Revised (IES-R). After 12 months (T3) the intensity of posttraumatic symptoms of 40 police officers was assessed again by a mail enquiry.
Of the police officers 14 (28%) received the diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after 6 months. In the PTSD group a significant drop in the level of functioning and a significant increase in the degree of psychiatric impairment could be found. Concerning the stability of the intensity of posttraumatic intrusions (IES-R subscale intrusions) the PTSD group showed in comparison to the non-PTSD group a slower decrease of symptoms over the period of 12 months (ordinal interaction) and no such strong amelioration of the symptoms as for avoidance and hyperarousal could be found.
Although the police force are, due to pre-employment screening and the professional training, both mentally and physically healthy in comparison with the general population, the results point at the risk potential of exceptional events for police officers. Due to the fact that the intensity of posttraumatic intrusions remained on a relatively stable level it seems indispensable to render these police officers further professional support.

• 出版日期2010-5