AI Article Synopsis
- The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) experience high levels of exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs), contributing to a rise in mental health disorders among their members.
- Recent findings indicate that the RCMP participants reported an average of approximately 13 types of PPTEs, significantly higher than previous data from RCMP and other public safety personnel.
- The study reveals a strong correlation between PPTE exposure and several mental health disorders, emphasizing the critical need for increased resources and support for RCMP members.
Article Abstract
Objective: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are among the public safety sectors reporting the highest exposures to diverse potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs), which contribute to the risk of developing mental health disorders. Current increases in prevalence of mental health disorders among RCMP are substantial and warrant updated prevalence estimates of PPTE exposures. The objective of the present study was to provide updated estimates of lifetime PPTE exposures among RCMP and assess for associations with mental disorders and sociodemographic variables.
Method: Participants ( = 1,348) completed a survey assessing self-reported sociodemographic information, PPTE exposures as measured by the Life Events Checklist for the (5th ed.) Extended, and mental health disorder symptoms.
Results: Participants reported exposure to more PPTE types (∼13) than previous samples of RCMP (∼11) and public safety personnel (PSP) (∼11). Prevalence for all the PPTE types was statistically significantly higher for the current sample than previously reported samples of PSP and RCMP, and higher than the Canadian general population. Participants reported highest exposures through any modality (i.e., directly or indirectly) to sudden violent death (98.3%), physical assault (97.9%), serious transport accident (97.0%), sudden accidental death (96.7%), and assault with a weapon (93.7%). Most PPTEs were statistically significantly associated with screening positive for posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder, but not alcohol use disorder.
Conclusion: Increased PPTE exposures reported by current participants compared to a previous sample of RCMP, coupled with the observed associations between PPTE exposures and mental health disorders, highlights the need for further resources and support for RCMP to mitigate and manage the impact of PPTEs. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).
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Article Synopsis
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