Police officers face multifaceted, compounding stressors that can lead
to adverse events

Date:
August 18, 2020
Source:
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Summary:
Repeated exposure to high-stress calls for service and ongoing
exposure to stress without relief were two of the contributing
factors that could lead law enforcement officers to become
susceptible to adverse events while performing their duties,
according to a new study.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Repeated exposure to high-stress calls for service and ongoing exposure
to stress without relief were two of the contributing factors that could
lead law enforcement officers to become susceptible to adverse events
while performing their duties, according to a new study published in BMC
Public Health by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science
Center at Houston (UTHealth).


==========================================================================
The study team aims to use this research to develop intervention
models that can address and help prevent these multifaceted stressors
from affecting an officer's ability to respond to high-stress calls confidently.

"If we can develop innovative interventions for law enforcement officers
that address their unique occupational demands, we can help mitigate compounding stress factors that affect their overall mental health,"
said Katelyn Jetelina, PhD, MPH, the study's lead author and an assistant professor at UTHealth School of Public Health in Dallas.

The research team collected data from three law enforcement agencies in
the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex: a large urban department, a suburban department, and a rural department. The researchers met with officers
in focus group settings to identify stressors and to gain insight on
how to prevent future adverse effects such as use of force, officer or
civilian injury, civilian complaints, or discharge of a weapon.

The study participants were 86% male and 14% female with an average
tenure of 12 years. Five themes emerged that influenced an officer's
perception of the stress level of a call -- officer characteristics such
as former military experience or gender, civilian behavior, supervisor
factors such as the tendency to micromanage, environmental factors,
and situational factors.

The data revealed several factors that contributed to officer stress accumulation, including not "resetting" stress levels after a high-stress
call, burnout from answering numerous back-to-back calls, and feeling
pressure to move on to the next call quickly. Experience from a
previous adverse event was also a contributing factor to cumulative
stress. However, according to the focus group responses, behaviors
such as taking a break between calls, practicing breathing exercises,
and addressing one's mental health over time can help lower levels of
chronic stress.

The researchers noted that the combination of the perceived stress level
of a call and other cumulative stress factors increase the likelihood
for adverse events between police and the public. If the cycle of chronic stress is addressed and limitations placed on the number of high-stress
calls an officer responds to during a shift, adverse events may be
limited as well. Previous studies have shown that for other occupations, reduced levels of stress increase productivity and job satisfaction.

Irving Police Chief Jeff Spivey, whose officers participated in the
study, said the results will help them find additional ways to assist
their officers with mental health needs.

"Providing multiple resources for our officers to support and focus on
their mental health needs, like our internal peer support groups, is a
cause I am very proud to champion," Spivey said. "Peer support services
have proven to be effective in helping police officers appropriately
manage their mental health; that's why we have teamed up with the Caruth
Police Institute and other departments across the state to create a peer network for first responders throughout Texas." Jetelina and her team
are currently testing the feasibility of using smart watches to break cumulative, real-time stress for officers. Additional research on the prevalence of undiagnosed mental health disorders among law enforcement officers is necessary to assess the effectiveness of current mental
health resources and to ensure that new resources are developed.

Other UTHealth co-authors include Alaina M. Beauchamp; MPH; and Rebecca Molsberry, MPH. Jennifer Reingle Gonzalez, PhD, of Meadows Mental Health
Policy Institute; Stephen Bishopp, PhD, of the Dallas Police Department;
and Simon Craddock Lee, PhD, MPH, of The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, were also co-authors.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Texas_Health_Science_Center_at_Houston.

Original written by Wendi Hawthorne. Note: Content may be edited for
style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Katelyn K. Jetelina, Alaina M. Beauchamp, Jennifer M. Reingle
Gonzalez,
Rebecca J. Molsberry, Stephen A. Bishopp, Simon Craddock
Lee. Cumulative, high-stress calls impacting adverse events among
law enforcement and the public. BMC Public Health, 2020; 20 (1)
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-020-09219-x ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200818142143.htm

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