scholarly journals Survey of Frontline Police Officers’ Responses and Requirements in Psychiatric Emergency Situations

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 237
Author(s):  
Kyung Ja Lee ◽  
Kyunghee Lee ◽  
Yeong Mi Lee ◽  
Hyun Seok Choi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Site Response ◽  
Educational Programs ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Verbal Expression ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Cross Tabulation

Police officers in South Korea can be summoned to incidents involving individuals with mental health problems. Therefore, for officers to communicate effectively in such situations, education is necessary. Accordingly, this study obtained frontline police officers’ perceptions of such educational programs and their suggestions regarding supplementary field manuals. Data were collected from 471 frontline police officers from 8 July until 9 August 2020. Data analysis incorporated frequency analysis, cross tabulation, text mining, and meaning network analysis. Participation in educational programs related to people with mental health problems depended on officers’ field experience with such persons (χ2 = 7.432, p = 0.006). Among officers who received educational programs, most expressed satisfaction with the programs (χ2 = 72.243, p < 0.001) and believed that these facilitated problem-solving (χ2 = 7.574, p = 0.023), improved understanding of people with mental health problems (χ2 = 10.220, p = 0.006), enabled better communication with such individuals (χ2 = 21.588, p < 0.001), and improved confidence in clarity of verbal expression in conversations with them (χ2 = 6.634, p = 0.036). An on-site response manual for communicating with people with mental health problems would represent an effective educational intervention to improve police judgment and responses.

Factors Associated With Police Decisions on Immediate Responses to Intimate Partner Violence

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (15-16) ◽  
pp. 2993-3010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merete Berg Nesset ◽  
Johan Håkon Bjørngaard ◽  
Jim Aage Nøttestad ◽  
Richard Whittington ◽  
Cecilie Lynum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Violence Risk ◽  
Lethal Violence ◽  
Emergency Situations

Police officers are often the first responders to intimate partner violence. The aim of the study was to examine the association between structured police assessments on-site in cases of intimate partner violence, and decisions about immediate arrest of the perpetrator and/or relocation of the victim. Data were extracted from police reports on 124 emergency visits in cases of intimate partner violence perpetrated by men toward women. Six out of totally 15 items of the intimate partner violence risk assessment measure B-SAFER were used by the front line police officers as the basis for decisions on whether or not to arrest the perpetrator or relocate the victim. The six items: perpetrator violent acts, violent threats or thoughts, escalation of violence, substance use problems, mental health problems, and breach of no-contact order, were selected on the basis of their utility in emergency situations. There were increased odds of arrest on-site if the perpetrator was physically violent (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.0-7.7) or had substance problems (AOR = 2.3, 95% CI = [1.0- 5.2]). There were increased odds of victim relocation if the perpetrator had mental health problems (AOR = 7.4, 95% CI = [2.4-23.1]) or if children were present on-site (AOR = 3.1, 95% CI = [1.1- 8.6]). In contrast, escalation of violence was associated with reduced odds of the perpetrator being arrested (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI = [0.1- 0.9]) or the victim being relocated (AOR = 0.4, 95% CI = [0.1- 1.3]). The finding that the police did not immediately respond to escalation, potentially signaling lethal violence needs to be addressed.

scholarly journals The Relationship between Dog Ownership, Psychopathological Symptoms and Health-Benefitting Factors in Occupations at Risk for Traumatization

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 2562 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Lass-Hennemann ◽  
Sarah K. Schäfer ◽  
M. Roxanne Sopp ◽  
Tanja Michael
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Pet Ownership ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Psychopathological Symptoms ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Dog Owners ◽  
The Relationship

Individuals working in high-risk occupations (e.g., emergency staff) are exposed to high levels of occupational stress including traumatic events. Correspondingly, several studies report high rates of mental health problems among these occupations. Pet ownership has been associated with better mental health. However, to date a study on the association between pet ownership and indicators of mental health in these occupations is missing. The present cross-sectional survey (N = 580) investigated pet ownership, attachment to pets, health-benefitting factors (i.e., sense of coherence, trait-resilience, locus of control) and psychopathological symptoms (i.e., general mental health problems, posttraumatic stress, burnout) in medical staff, police officers, and firefighters. Dog owners and non-dog owners showed comparable levels of psychopathological distress and health-benefitting factors. Compared to cat owners, dog owners demonstrated stronger emotional attachment to their pet. Moreover, a stronger attachment was also linked to higher levels of psychopathological symptoms and lower levels of health-benefitting factors. However, the relationship between attachment to pets and health-benefitting factors could be explained by their overlap with psychopathological symptom levels. Overall, our findings are not in line with the notion that pet ownership generally has a health-benefitting effect. Future studies need to investigate circumstances that modulate positive effects of pet ownership.

scholarly journals Gender-associated analysis of high-risk groups for mental health problems in law-enforcement officers

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. e020476
Author(s):  
Vitaliy Omelyanovich
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Risk Measures ◽  
Law Enforcement Officers ◽  
Psychological Adaptation ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Psychosomatic Diseases

Background Mental disorders prevention in specific professional groups is impossible without scientifically substantiated allocation of groups with increased neuropsychiatric and psychosomatic disorders risk. This fact indicates the need to study the gender, age and professional characteristics in law enforcement workers who already have problems with psychological adaptation. Methods and materials The study involved 1630 law enforcement officers (1,301 men and 329 women) who were evaluated with the Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R). As the statistical methods were used the partial regression calculation coefficient η2, cohort calculation risk measures, φ*-total Fischer transformation method, and single-factor dispersion Fisher's analysis. Results According to gender characteristics, the problems with psychological adaptation in men were significantly less pronounced than in women (φ*=1.79; p=0.37). These data were confirmed by the cohort calculation and risk measures results: men – 0.261, women – 0.349 (the psychological disadaptation risk in women was 1.3 times higher than men). There weren’t any statistically significant age differences between the representatives of both gender groups with psychological adaptation disturbances and healthy ones (φ* ≤1.19; p≥0.1). Among patients who suffered from psychosomatic diseases, were men over the age of 35 (φ* ≥2.28; p≤0.0001) and women over 26 years old (φ*= 2.16; p=0.014) prevailed. There were significantly fewer people among men with psychosomatic illnesses with 4-9 years of professional working experience than in a healthy group. On the contrary, there were significantly more patients in a law enforcement workers group with 10-15 years working experience than in the healthy one (φ*>1.73; p<0.0001). Conclusion The risk of mental health problems in female police officers is much higher than in men. Disadaptation development is not related to the age and length of working experience in the police. Men with working experience greater than 10 years should be included in the risk group for psychosomatic diseases.

Remarkable lives: Charlotte Tetley in conversation with Jerome Carson

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-122
Author(s):  
Charlotte Tetley ◽  
Jerome Carson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Human Mind ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Local Police ◽  
Childhood Mental Health ◽  
Biographical Account

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a profile of Charlotte Tetley. Design/methodology/approach – Charlotte provides a short biographical account and is then interviewed by Jerome. In the biography Charlotte talks about her long battle with mental health problems and treatments that did not help. Findings – Charlotte’s mental health problems started at the age of 12 and eased when she left home at 17. It was in her final year at university that her problems returned. Research limitations/implications – Charlotte’s story is one of not just surviving long term mental health problems, but of coping with adversity and becoming a stronger person. It is one of thousands of remarkable survivor accounts. Practical implications – The story of the involvement of local police officers in Charlotte’s admission to hospital, is once more a sad indictment of the brutality handed out to many sufferers in acute mental distress. Social implications – Considering her background, 12 different schools, two exclusions, childhood mental health problems, Charlotte’s story shows the triumph of the human mind against social disadvantage. She is “somebody who conquered the storm”. Originality/value – Charlotte was helped by her indomitable spirit, by her mother, a therapist and a friend who stood by her. She tells us she can never be the same person she was before her mental health problems, but she has grown and in the process became a stronger person.

scholarly journals Correlates of mental health in occupations at risk for traumatization: A cross-sectional study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah K. Schäfer ◽  
Marie Roxanne Sopp ◽  
Marlene Staginnus ◽  
Johanna Lass-Hennemann ◽  
Tanja Michael
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
General Mental Health ◽  
Staff Members ◽  
Stress Symptoms ◽  
Trait Resilience

Abstract Background Hospitals, police stations, and fire departments are highly demanding work places. Staff members are regularly exposed to various stressors including traumatic events. Correspondingly, several studies report high rates of mental health issues among these occupations. Nevertheless, despite these challenging circumstances, some staff members manage to sustain their mental health. The current study is the first to investigate correlates of mental health among three different highly demanding occupations. Methods The present cross-sectional survey investigated health-benefitting factors (sense of coherence – SOC, trait resilience, locus of control – LOC) and psychopathological symptoms (general mental health problems, posttraumatic stress, burnout) in medical staff ( n = 223), police officers ( n = 257), and firefighters ( n = 100). Results Among all occupations, SOC, trait resilience, and an internal LOC were negatively associated with general mental health problems, posttraumatic stress, and burnout symptoms. By contrast, all these outcome measures were positively correlated with an external LOC. Multiple regression models including all health-benefitting factors as predictors explained 56% of the variance in general mental health problems and 27% in posttraumatic stress symptoms. Among all occupations, SOC was the strongest predictor of both general mental health problems and posttraumatic stress symptoms. Multigroup path analyses revealed minor differences across occupations, mainly driven by a stronger influence of LOC in police officers. Conclusion Across all occupations, SOC was identified as the most important health-benefitting factor. Future longitudinal studies should further examine the causal link between health-benefitting factors and mental distress in different work places. Such studies will also allow for further development and evaluation of resilience promoting programs.

scholarly journals Prevention of child mental health problems in Southeastern Europe: a multicentre sequential study to adapt, optimise and test the parenting programme ‘Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children’, protocol for stage 1, the feasibility study

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e026684 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inga Frantz ◽  
Heather M Foran ◽  
Jamie M Lachman ◽  
Elena Jansen ◽  
Judy Hutchings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Data Analysis ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Child Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Ethical Review ◽  
Parenting Programme ◽  
Middle Income

IntroductionFamilies in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) face multiple challenges (eg, poverty and adverse childhood experiences) that increase the risk for child mental health problems, while the context may provide them with few resources. Existing prevention-oriented parenting programmes have been shown to be effective in reducing child behaviour problems and associated risk factors. This project has the overall goal of adapting, implementing and testing a parenting intervention in three Southeastern European LMIC and uses the Multiphase Optimisation Strategy and dimensions of the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance framework. It is implemented over three phases: (1) preparation, (2) optimisation and (3) evaluation. The preparation phase, the subject of this paper, involves the adaptation and feasibility piloting of the parenting programme.Methods and analysisThis protocol describes the assessment of an evidence-informed indicated prevention programme for families with children aged 2–9 years (Parenting for Lifelong Health for Young Children) for implementation in FYR of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova and Romania. In this phase, officials, experts, parents and practitioners are interviewed to explore their views of suitability and needs for further adaptation. In addition, a small pre–post pilot study will test the feasibility of the programme and its implementation as well as the evaluation measures in the three countries with 40 families per country site (n=120). Quantitative data analysis will comprise a psychometric analysis of measures, testing pre–post differences using ANCOVA, χ2tests and regression analysis. For qualitative data analysis, a thematic approach within an experiential framework will be applied.Ethics and disseminationThe ethics review board of the Alpen-Adria University Klagenfurt and ethical review boards in the three LMIC sites have approved the study.Trial registration numberNCT03552250.

scholarly journals A pilot study of brain injury in police officers: A source of mental health problems?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas I. J. Smith ◽  
Stan Gilmour ◽  
Lewis Prescott‐Mayling ◽  
Lee Hogarth ◽  
John D. Corrigan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Pilot Study ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems

Ecopsychotherapy of Mental Health Problems Children and Adolescents

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s790-s791
Author(s):  
B. Mykhaylov ◽  
M. Vodka ◽  
T. Alieva ◽  
I. Vashkite
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Behavioral Disorders ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Psychosocial Rehabilitation ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Animal Therapy ◽  
Emergency Situations ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Mental Pathology

Ukraine is the problem of children's mental health. Contemporary one of the most urgent health problems in Ukraine. In recent years a number of studies confirms the trend of mental pathology of growth with an increase in the number of clinical forms of psychotic register, including behavioral disorders in children. In turn, this is due to the increasing number of emergency situations (antiterrorist operations on the territory of Ukraine) for the last time. Ukraine now is an urgent need to establish a system of psychosocial rehabilitation of children with impaired mental development. International Charity Fund “Alexander Feldman Fund” in the Ecopark established the center for psychosocial rehabilitation of children and adolescents with psychological, emotional and behavioral disorders. The center created the conditions for the restoration of a bio-psycho-social harmony of the child in the conditions of modern urban-deformed medium. The aim of the center is to restore the level of social functioning and quality of life of children with ADHD, children with autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and other neuropsychiatric disorders. The Center based on ecotherapy, also used animal therapy, garden therapy, play therapy, art therapy (studio for painting, sculpting). Individual and group work included various elements of cognitive-behavioral, rational, analytical child, relaxation, and other methods of psychotherapy.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

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