Warr;or21: A 21-Day Program to Enhance First Responder Resilience and Mental Health (original) (raw)
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The disaster worker resiliency training program: a randomized clinical trial
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health
Objectives Disaster workers are at elevated risk for mental health problems as a result of trauma exposures during response efforts. One possible way to prevent mental health problems is to build-up coping resources that promote resilience to the effects of disaster work. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a resilience building workshop, the Disaster Worker Resiliency Training Program (DWRT), in disaster workers previously exposed to Hurricane Sandy. Methods Disaster workers (N = 167) were randomly assigned to the DWRT workshop (n = 78) or a waitlist (n = 89). Workers completed self-report measures on healthy lifestyle behaviors, perceived stress, depression, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms at baseline and 3-month follow-up. They also completed a measure assessing subsequent trauma-exposure between the baseline and 3-month post-intervention. Results Participants in the workshop condition, as compared to those in a waitlist control, reported significantly greater improvements from pre-intervention (T1) to 3-month follow-up (T2) in healthy lifestyle behaviors (η 2 = .03; p = .03), stress management (η 2 = .03, p = .04), and spiritual growth (η 2 = .03, p = .02). Among participants reporting subsequent trauma exposures between T1 and T2 (n = 101), participants in the waitlist condition, were more likely to report significant increases in perceived stress (η 2 = .07, p < .01), PTSD (η 2 = .05, p = .03), and depression (η 2 = .07, p < .01) symptoms. Conclusions Participation in the resilience workshop promoted engagement in positive health behaviors and reduced the incidence of mental health symptoms, especially when administered prior to a repeat trauma exposure. Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term health effects of participation in the program.
Abuse: An International Journal
The construct of resilience is usually entered into statistical models as an independent variable even though scholars assert it should be conceptualised similarly to other post-trauma mental health outcomes (Kalisch et al., 2017). To the best of our knowledge, there are no other published papers using a dependent variable from a standardised resilience assessment and individual trauma exposure item-level responses as predictor variables. 93 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) professionals completed the Life Events Checklist (LEC) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Each response to all LEC questions was entered into a backwards stepwise regression predicting resilience. The backwards stepwise regression was significant F(7, 85) = 9.14, p < .001 and accounted for 38.3% of the variability in resilience. Gender and LEC items 3, 10, 12, and 13 negatively predicted resilience, whereas prior military service and LEC item 14 (sudden violent death) increased resilience. Even 20 months in...
Impact of The HEROES Project on First Responders' Well-Being
First responders experience a myriad of stressors (e.g., operational, organizational, personal) over the course of their career. An abundance of empirical evidence shows that the impact of those stressors on first responders’ health, well-being, and performance can be detrimental. Nevertheless, previous research has mainly focused on the role of a specific technique (e.g., mindfulness, breathing exercises, psychoeducation) towards the promotion of well-being among first responders. This allows us to explore the role of a single technique in supporting first responders. However, given the complexity of stressors experienced by this population, it appears that a synergistic role of multileveled intervention is imperative to promote lasting improvement in first responders’ well-being. To this end, The HEROES Project, an eight-week online training program, was developed to address the aforementioned gap in the literature. The HEROES Project incorporates lessons that aim to build a cluster of skills that together promote first responders’ wellbeing. In the present study, a sample of first responders (n = 124) from the US Midwest were recruited and completed The HEROES Project. They were assessed before and after completion of the program, and then follow-up measurements were obtained for two years following the baseline assessment. Results showed that participants with higher distress and lower psychological resources before the training benefited most from The HEROES Project, but that the training significantly improved psychological capital and reduced stress, depression, anxiety, and trauma symptoms for all participants. Clinical and training implications as well as future research directions are discussed.
European Psychologist, 2020
Compared with children and young people in the general population, looked-after children and young people (LACYP) are more likely to experience behavioural, physical and psychological problems. Consequently, LACYP are likely to have greater need of health and mental health services to address any specific problems.. However, LACYP do not always have the same access to general health and mental health care as other children and young people, nor do they always receive treatment or support that is appropriate to their needs. Several factors may contribute to this mismatch between need and service access. LACYP may not have advocates who can request assessment and treatment when it is needed, and professionals who could act on their behalf may be absent at times of placement breakdown and transition. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesise evidence on the effectiveness of interventions to improve access to services accessed by LACYP.
2007
� To learn the basics of disaster awareness for individuals, families and organizations (assessment and planning, physical protection, response capacity development). � To acquire the knowledge, behavior and attitudes of a role model, applying and promoting basis disaster awareness and disaster risk reduction into personal and professional culture and practice. � To learn about normal behavior under abnormal conditions. � To discover community responder roles in disaster mental health. � To learn the foundations of disaster mental health and the basic principals and skills of psychological first aid. � To learn trauma identification and referral skills. � To develop and reinforce awareness of stress & coping mechanisms. loss and grief. � To learn active listening skills. � To learn acute intervention techniques to assist people the immediate
Resilience training in a population of deployed personnel
Military Psychology, 2013
The U.S. military has developed prophylactic interventions to mitigate effects from stress. The project reported is a first of its kind descriptive assessment of the delivery of resilience training in a deployed environment. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and an inventory of stress, morale, performance, and use of specific behaviors were administered before and after resilience training was implemented for all personnel assigned to a military facility in Afghanistan. There was a small positive relation between resilient thinking and self-reported morale, but, despite the training, both resilient thinking and morale were observed to decline across the deployment period. This descriptive effort can provide some baseline for commanders' expectations in implementation of resilience training.
The Road to Mental Readiness for First Responders: A Meta-Analysis of Program Outcomes
The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2019
Objectives: First-responder mental health, especially in Canada, has been a topic of increasing interest given the high incidence of poor mental health, mental illness, and suicide among this cohort. Although research generally suggests that resiliency and stigma reduction programs can directly and indirectly affect mental health, little research has examined this type of training in first responders. The current paper examines the efficacy of the Road to Mental Readiness for First Responders program (R2MR), a resiliency and anti-stigma program. Methods: The program was tested using a pre-post design with a 3-month follow-up in 5 first-responder groups across 16 sites. Results: A meta-analytic approach was used to estimate the overall effects of the program on resiliency and stigma reduction. Our results indicate that R2MR was effective at increasing participants’ perceptions of resiliency and decreasing stigmatizing attitudes at the pre-post review, which was mostly maintained at t...
Resilience Training for Firefighters: A Proposed Approach
2015
In the course of doing their jobs, firefighters unavoidably experience stressful and even traumatic situations that can lead to emotional and behavioral health problems including anxiety, burnout, depression, alcoholism, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicide. Current approaches to addressing these problems tend to focus on assistance and treatment that takes place following traumatic events, or after symptoms emerge. While these important efforts must continue, the science of positive psychology can suggest a more proactive approach through the development of resilience skills, which prepare individuals to resist the negative effects of stressful events and situations, and support overall well-being. Resilience training teaches thinking and coping skills that can be employed on the job as well as at home and in other circumstances. Existing evidence-based resilience training programs used in military and educational settings are reviewed, as well as literature...