Thread by @sam_horswill

Exciting news - my publication on PTSD in SK police officers is online ahead of print! This was my dissertation baby, and I'm very happy it's out in the world so I can share with you. Keep scrolling for the highlight reel... (1/9)

psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-18…
@rncarleton

(2/9) 500 police officers in Saskatchewan (both RCMP & municipal police) were surveyed for: symptoms of PTSD; known risk and protective factors for PTSD; and post-traumatic growth (PTG - where some people report positive changes bc of trauma - such as stronger relationships).

(3/9) The main finding is that 25% of RCMP officers & 12% of municipal officers screened positive for PTSD. Unclear why, but RCMP have remote postings, frequently move, & are often first on scene; city police are closer to resources like EMT on scene, & closer to PTSD treatment.

(4/9) For both groups, difficulty with uncertainty (IU) & being hyperalert to anxiety-related body sensations, thoughts, & feelings (AS) were risk factors for PTSD. There are psych treatment protocols that target these factors, which may reduce risk to PTSD in high-trauma jobs.

(5/9) For both groups, a sense of good social support & optimism for the future were protective against PTSD. Resilience training can be useful here, to help early career police develop strong supports & develop good cognitive strategies.

(6/9) Despite different PTSD rates, both groups had equal amounts of PTG, which is great to know. PTSD is a treatable condition, and officers can come away from trauma with a stronger sense of self, closer relationships, appreciation for life, more paths in life.

(7/9) This research was cross-sectional and based on self-report, so needs to be chased up longitudinally with clinical interviews to see if baseline psychosocial factors are truly representative of actual risk for PTSD over the course of the career.

(8/9) Though there is so much further research to be done... more than 20% of SK police took this survey, which is huge buy-in. And it represents a step towards preventing PTSD in first responders, which is $ to treat and hard to find in SK (seriously, my waitlist is ridic).

(9/9) This research was supported by so many people, including my PhD supervisor @rncarleton, my committee (including @gjgasmundson), the @SaskFed, & funded by @CIHR_IRSC. Most of all, though, the credit goes to all the individual officers who responded. Thank you 🙏🏻