Browsing by Author "Jamshidi, Laleh"

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Open Access
Assessing the impact of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) protocol and Emotional Resilience Skills Training (ERST) among diverse public safety personnel
(BMC, 2022-12-09) Carleton, R. Nicholas; McCarron, Michelle; Krätzig, Gregory, P.; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Neary, Patrick, J.; Lix, Lisa, M.; Fletcher, Amber, J.; Camp II, Ronald, D.; Shields, Robyn, E.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; Maguire, Kirby, Q.; MacPhee, Renée, S.; Afifi, Tracie, O.; Jones, Nicholas, A.; Martin, Ronald, R.; Sareen, Jitender; Brunet, Alain; Beshai, Shadi; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Cramm, Heidi; MacDermid, Joy, C.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Rabbani, Rasheda; Teckchandani, Taylor, A.; Asmundson, Gordon, J. G.
Public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., border services personnel, correctional workers, firefighters, paramedics, police, public safety communicators) are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events. Such events contribute to substantial and growing challenges from posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs), including but not limited to posttraumatic stress disorder.
Open Access
Assessing the Relative Impact of Diverse Stressors among Canadian Coast Guard and Conservation and Protection Officers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-12-07) Andrews, Katie, L.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; Teckchandani, Taylor; Price, Jill, A. B.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Public Safety Personnel (PSP), including members of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Conservation and Protection (C&P) officers, are regularly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) and other occupational stressors (organizational and operational stressors). The current study quantified occupational stressors among CCG and C&P and assessed relationships with PPTEs and mental health disorders. Participants (n = 341; 58.4% male) completed an online survey assessing self-reported occupational stressors, PPTEs, and mental health disorder symptoms. CCG and C&P Officers reported significantly lower mean overall and item-level organizational and operational stress scores compared to other Canadian PSP. Mean operational stress scores were statistically significantly associated with increased odds of screening positive for all mental disorders and organizational stress scores were statistically significantly associated with increased odds of screening positive for all mental disorders except social anxiety disorder. Participants reported several item-level occupational stressors associated with screening positive for posttraumatic stress disorder, general anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder, even after accounting for diverse PPTE exposures. Exposure to PPTEs may be a regular part of employment for CCG and C&P PSP; however, bureaucratic red tape, staff shortages, excessive administrative duties, physical conditioning, healthy eating, and fatigue are occupational stressors that appear significantly related to mental health. Ongoing mental health efforts are needed to mitigate and manage the impact of occupational stressors among CCG and C&P.
Open Access
Daily survey participation and positive changes in mental health symptom scores among Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets
(Frontiers, 2023-08-04) Shields, Robyn E.; Teckchandani, Taylor A.; Asmundson, Gordon J. G.; Nisbet, Jolan; Krakauer, Rachel L.; Andrews, Katie L.; Maguire, Kirby Q.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Afifi, Tracie O.; Lix, Lisa M.; Brunet, Alain; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Krätzig, Gregory P.; Neary, J. Patrick; Sareen, Jitender; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Introduction: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers self-report high levels of mental health disorder symptoms, such as alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Participation in regular mental health monitoring has been associated with improved mental health disorder symptom reporting and may provide an accessible tool to support RCMP mental health. The current study assessed relationships between self-reported mental health disorder symptoms and the completion of daily surveys (i.e., daily mental health disorder symptom monitoring) by RCMP cadets during the Cadet Training Program (CTP). Methods: Participants were RCMP cadets (n = 394; 76.1% men) in the Standard Training Program who completed the 26-week CTP and daily self-monitoring surveys, as well as full mental health assessments at pre-training (i.e., starting the CTP) and pre-deployment (i.e., ~2 weeks prior to deployment to the field). Symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder were assessed. Changes in mental health disorder symptom reporting from pre-training to pre-deployment were calculated. Spearman’s rank correlations were estimated for number of daily surveys completed and change in mental health disorder symptom scores between pre-training and pre-deployment. Results: There were statistically significant inverse relationships between number of daily surveys completed and number of mental health disorder symptoms reported; specifically, cadets who completed more daily surveys during CTP reported fewer symptoms of alcohol use disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Conclusion: An inverse correlation between number of daily surveys completed and mental health disorder symptom scores indicated that participation in daily mental health monitoring was associated with improvements in self-reported mental health disorder symptoms between pre-training and pre-deployment. Regular self-monitoring of mental health disorder symptoms may help to mitigate mental health challenges among RCMP cadets and officers.
Open Access
Evaluation of Before Operational Stress (BOS): A program to support mental health and proactive psychological protection in public safety personnel.
(Frontiers Media, 2021-08-17) Stelnicki, Andrea, M.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Fletcher, Amber, J.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., communications officials, corrections workers, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers) are at risk of developing mental health problems due to experiencing potentially psychologically traumatic events during their career. Research examining evidence-based treatments for psychological injuries resulting from operational duties (also known as operational stress injuries) has not yielded robust results that would indicate ongoing interventions as the best solution for managing PSP mental health injuries; as such, proactive psychological interventions designed to bolster resilience are being considered potentially beneficial for mitigating the impact of occupational stress on PSP. Despite the growing popularity of resilience programs, most are delivered in a single session after an event deemed particularly problematic with no follow-up. Longer interventions may better support sustained resiliency, mitigate the impact of operational stress, and increase positive PSP workplace outcomes. The current article introduces the Before Operational Stress (BOS) program, which was designed for delivery early in a PSP career to enhance self-awareness and healthy relationships. The year-long program is derived from cognitive behavior therapy and group therapeutic techniques to meet program objectives. The current BOS program evaluation demonstrated small, statistically significant improvements in symptoms of PTSD, quality of life, stigma, and perceived social support from baseline (Time 1) to 6 months (Time 4). There were also non-significant improvements observed in symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, alcohol use, as well as in emotional regulation and resilience. Qualitative results indicated participants positively perceived the BOS program, with participants reporting specific improvements in self-awareness, avoidant behaviors, and relationships with family and colleagues. The BOS program content (e.g., functional disconnection and functional reconnection) and processes (e.g., psychoeducation within a supportive learning structure; mutually empowering group interactions) appear unique relative to other PSP resilience programs, with promising initial results in support of PSP mental health. Recommendations for future research and program development are provided.
Open Access
Exposures to Potentially Psychologically Traumatic Events among Canadian Coast Guard and Conservation and Protection Officers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-11-16) Andrews, Katie, L.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; Teckchandani, Taylor, A.; Price, Jill, A. B.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Canadian Public Safety Personnel (PSP) (i.e., municipal/provincial police, firefighters, paramedics, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, correctional workers, dispatchers) report frequent and varied exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs). Exposure to PPTEs may be one explanation for the symptoms of mental health disorders prevalent among PSP. The objective of the current study was to provide estimates of lifetime PPTE exposures among Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Conservation and Protection (C&P) Officers and to assess for associations between PPTEs, mental health disorders, and sociodemographic variables. Participants (n = 412; 55.3% male, 37.4% female) completed an online survey assessing self-reported PPTE exposures and self-reported symptoms of mental health disorders. Participants reported higher frequencies of lifetime exposures to PPTEs than the general population (all ps < 0.001) but lower frequencies than other Canadian PSP (p < 0.5). Several PPTE types were associated with increased odds of positive screens for posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder (all ps < 0.05). Experiencing a serious transportation accident (77.4%), a serious accident at work, home, or during recreational activity (69.7%), and physical assault (69.4%) were among the PPTEs most frequently reported by participants. The current results provide the first known information describing PPTE exposures of CCG and C&P members, supporting the growing evidence that PPTEs are more frequent and varied among PSP and can be associated with diverse mental health disorders.
Open Access
Health of Canadian Firefighters: The Impact of Sleep and Work
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute,, 2021-12-16) Cramm, Heidi; Richmond, Rachel; Jamshidi, Laleh; Edgelow, Megan; Groll, Dianne; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; MacDermid, Joy, C.; Keiley, Michael; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Volunteer and career firefighters are at risk of major depressive disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), alcohol use disorder, and other mental health disorders due to the demanding and unpredictable nature of their employment. The mental health risks are exacerbated by the need to work extended hours, night shifts, and/or rotating schedules, or the competing demands of other employment, especially in volunteer firefighters. The mental health disorders and risk factors interact with altered sleeping patterns. In the current study, we examined volunteer and career firefighters regarding the association between mental health and sleep, drawing from a national Canadian mental health survey of 1217 firefighters. Most (69%) of the firefighters reported less than ideal sleep quality and 21% screened positive for clinical insomnia, with no significant difference between volunteer and career subgroups. Firefighters with insomnia had higher odds ratios (OR) and frequencies for PTSD (OR = 4.98), generalized anxiety disorder (OR = 7.15), panic disorder (OR = 6.88), social phobia (OR = 4.98), and major depressive disorder (OR = 7.91), than firefighters without insomnia. The burden of sleep disorders and their association with mental health disorders suggests that sleep should be considered in health monitoring and self-management, environmental design, fire service work-organization policies, and health programming.
Open Access
Mental Health and Well-Being among Children of Public Safety Personnel in Canada
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-10-28) Stelnicki, Andrea, M.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Taillieu, Tamara; Carleton, R. Nicholas; Afifi, Tracie, O.
Public safety personnel (PSP) often experience stress due to their occupational demands that affect the family environment (e.g., work-family conflict, marital breakdown, disruption to home routines, and holidays). A substantial base of research has focused on the impact of PSP work on the marital relationship, but fewer studies have focused specifically on children’s functioning within PSP families. The current study investigated mental health, well-being, and functioning among children of PSP in Canada, as reported by PSP. Data were collected between 2016 and 2017 as part of a large pan-Canadian study of PSP. Participants (n = 2092; 72.5% women) were PSP parents who responded to questions about their 4- to 17-year-old children. Overall, a substantial proportion of PSP parents reported their children have at least some difficulties with sadness (15.4%), worries and fear (22.0%), disobedience or anger (22.0%), attention (21.0%), and friendships (11.4%). Firefighters reported the fewest problems among their children compared to other PSP groups. Almost 40% of participants indicated that their child’s problems were related to their work as a PSP. The results highlight the need to find ways to identify children that are struggling and provide support to those families. Organizations and PSP leadership should develop and prioritize efforts to support families of PSP members, with the likely outcome of enhancing PSP member well-being.
Open Access
Mental Health Disorder Symptoms among Canadian Coast Guard and Conservation and Protection Officers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-11-25) Andrews, Katie, L.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; Teckchandani, Taylor, A.; Price, Jill, A. B.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Canadian public safety personnel (PSP) screen positive for one or more mental health disorders, based on self-reported symptoms, at a prevalence much greater (i.e., 44.5%) than the diagnostic prevalence for the general public (10.1%). Potentially psychologically traumatic event (PPTE) exposures and occupational stressors increase the risks of developing symptoms of mental health disorders. The current study was designed to estimate the mental health disorder symptoms among Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Conservation and Protection (C&P) Officers. The participants (n = 412; 56.1% male, 37.4% female) completed an online survey assessing their current mental health disorder symptoms using screening measures and sociodemographic information. The participants screened positive for one or more current mental health disorders (42.0%; e.g., post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, alcohol use disorder) more frequently than in the general population diagnostic prevalence (10.1%; p < 0.001). The current results provide the first information describing the prevalence of current mental health disorder symptoms and subsequent positive screenings of CCG and C&P Officers. The results evidence a higher prevalence of positive screenings for mental health disorders than in the general population, and differences among the disorder-screening prevalence relative to other Canadian PSP. The current results provide insightful information into the mental health challenges facing CCG and C&P PSP and inform efforts to mitigate and manage PTSI among PSP. Ongoing efforts are needed to protect CCG and C&P Officers’ mental health by mitigating the impacts of risk factors and operational and organizational stressors through interventions and training, thus reducing the prevalence of occupational stress injuries.
Open Access
Mental Health Disorders and Suicidal Behaviors Among Provincial Correctional Workers
(Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc., 2022-06) Ricciardelli, Rosemary; McKendy, Laura; Jamshidi, Laleh; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Objective: We examined the prevalence of mental health disorders and suicidal behaviors (ideation, planning, and attempts) among a sample of provincial correctional workers in Manitoba. Methods: Self-reported mental health data from a survey on correctional worker mental health and well-being were analyzed for 491 correctional workers. Results: Over half (57%) of respondents screened positive for mental health disorder, most commonly major depressive disorder, and over one-third of respondents (37%) screened positive for more than one disorder. Positive mental health screens for all mental health disorders were associated with statistically significantly increased odds of lifetime suicidal ideation, and positive screens for most disorders were associated with past year suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Relative to other public safety personnel and the general public, correctional workers appear have a higher prevalence of mental health disorders and suicidal behaviors. The association between positive screens for mental health disorders and suicidal behaviors highlights the vulnerability of correctional workers in regards to mental well-being.
Open Access
Mental Health Knowledge, Stigma, and Service Use Intentions Among Correctional Workers
(Canadian Psychological Association, 2023-11-30) Shields, Robyn E.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Jamshidi, Laleh; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Correctional workers are regularly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events, which are associated with mental health disorders. Correctional workers report barriers to mental health service use due to difficulties recognizing mental health needs and stigma, leading to compromised mental health. The current study was designed to assess nuances in mental health knowledge, stigma, and service use intentions among correctional workers and differences based on demographic categories and histories of mental health disorders. Participants (n = 878) were correctional workers from Ontario, Canada, who completed the Mental Health Knowledge Scale, the Opening Minds Scale for Workplace Attitudes, and the Mental Health Service Use Questionnaire. There were statistically significant differences on measures of mental health knowledge, stigma, and service use intentions across most demographic categories. There were statistically significant differences on a measure of mental health service use intentions between participants with and without a history of mental health disorders. Mental health knowledge contributed significantly to the variation in service use intentions. The current results provide initial baseline data for correctional workers regarding mental health knowledge, stigma, and service use intentions. The results evidence demographic differences that may help focus training efforts. The results also suggest experiencing mental health disorders may be insufficient to overcome mental health stigma, which means additional individual, organizational, and structural efforts are warranted to increase service use intentions among correctional workers as part of supporting better mental health.
Open Access
Mental Health of Royal Canadian Mounted Police at the Start of the Cadet Training Program
(SAGE Publications, 2023-05-02) Carleton, R. Nicholas; Jamshidi, Laleh; Maguire, Kirby Q.; Lix, Lisa M.; Stewart, Sherry H.; Afifi, Tracie O.; Sareen, Jitender; Andrews, Katie L.; Jones, Nicholas A.; Nisbet, Jolan; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Neary, J. Patrick; Brunet, Alain; Krätzig, Gregory P.; Fletcher, Amber J.; Teckchandani, Taylor A.; Keane, Terence M.; Asmundson, Gordon J.G.
Objective Serving Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have screened positive for one or more mental disorders based on self-reported symptoms with substantial prevalence (i.e., 50.2%). Mental health challenges for military and paramilitary populations have historically been attributed to insufficient recruit screening; however, cadet mental health when starting the Cadet Training Program (CTP) was unknown. Our objective was to estimate RCMP Cadet mental health when starting the CTP and test for sociodemographic differences. Method Cadets starting the CTP completed a survey assessing self-reported mental health symptoms (n = 772, 72.0% male) and a clinical interview (n = 736, 74.4% male) with a clinician or supervised trainee using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview to assess current and past mental health. Results The percentage of participants screening positive for one or more current mental disorders based on self-reported symptoms (15.0%) was higher than the diagnostic prevalence for the general population (10.1%); however, based on clinical interviews, participants were less likely to screen positive for any current mental disorder (6.3%) than the general population. Participants were also less likely to screen positive for any past mental disorder based on self-report (3.9%) and clinical interviews (12.5%) than the general population (33.1%). Females were more likely to score higher than males (all ps<.01; Cohen's ds .23 to .32) on several self-report mental disorder symptom measures. Conclusions The current results are the first to describe RCMP cadet mental health when starting the CTP. The data evidenced a lower prevalence of anxiety, depressive, and trauma-related mental disorders than the general population based on clinical interviews, contrasting notions that more rigorous mental health screening would reduce the high prevalence of mental disorders among serving RCMP. Instead, protecting RCMP mental health may require ongoing efforts to mitigate operational and organizational stressors.
Open Access
Mental Health Training, Attitudes toward Support, and Screening Positive for Mental Disorders among Canadian Coast Guard and Conservation and Protection Officers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-11-26) Andrews, Katie, L.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; te, Taylor, A.; Price, Jill, A. B.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Public Safety Personnel (PSP) including members of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) and Conservation and Protection (C&P) officers, are regularly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) and other occupational stressors. Several mental health training programs (e.g., critical incident stress management [CISM], critical incident stress debriefing [CISD], peer support, mental health first aid, Road to Mental Readiness [R2MR]) exist as efforts to minimize the impact of exposures. To help inform on the impact of several categories of mental health training programs (i.e., CISM, CISD, mental health first aid, Peer Support, R2MR) for improving attitudes toward support and willingness to access supports among CCG and C&P officers, the current study assessed CCG and C&P Officers perceptions of access to professional (i.e., physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, employee assistance programs, chaplains) and non-professional (i.e., spouse, friends, colleagues, leadership) support, and associations between training and mental health. Participants (n = 341; 58.4% male) completed an online survey assessing perceptions of support, experience with mental health training and symptoms of mental health disorders. CCG and C&P Officers reported access to professional and non-professional support; however, most indicated they would first access a spouse (73.8%), a friend (64.7%), or a physician (52.9%). Many participants would never, or only as a last resort, access other professional supports (24.0% to 47.9%), a CCG or C&P colleague (67.5%), or their leadership (75.7%). Participants who received any mental health training reported a lower prevalence of positive screens for all mental health disorders compared to those who did not received training; but no statistically significant associations were observed between mental health training categories and decreased odds for screening positive for mental disorders. The current results suggest that the mental health training categories yield comparable results; nevertheless, further research is needed to assess the shared and unique content across each training program. The results highlight the need to increase willingness to access professional and non-professional support among CCG and C&P Officers. Revisions to training programs for leadership and colleagues to reduce stigma around mental health challenges and support for PSP spouses, friends, and physicians may be beneficial.
Open Access
Potentially Psychologically Traumatic Event Exposure Histories of new Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets
(SAGE Publications, 2023-02-05) Andrews, Katie L.; Jamshidi, Laleh; Nisbet, Jolan; Brunet, Alain; Afifi, Tracie O.; Asmundson, Gordon J.G.; Fletcher, Amber J.; Maguire, Kirby Q.; Teckchandani, Taylor A.; Lix, Lisa; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Sareen, Jitender; Keane, Terence M.; Neary, J. Patrick; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Objective Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) report extremely frequent and varied exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs). While occupational exposures to PPTEs may be one explanation for the symptoms of mental disorders prevalent among serving RCMP, exposures occurring prior to service may also play a role. The objective of the current study was to provide estimates of lifetime PPTE exposures among RCMP cadets in training and assess for associations with mental disorders or sociodemographic variables. Methods RCMP cadets (n = 772; 72.0% male) beginning the Cadet Training Program (CTP) completed a survey assessing self-reported PPTE exposures as measured by the Life Events Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition-Extended. Binomial tests were conducted to compare the current results to previously collected data from the general population, a diverse sample of public safety personnel (PSP) and serving RCMP. Results Cadets reported statistically significantly fewer PPTE exposures for all PPTE types than serving RCMP (all p’s < 0.001) and PSP (all p’s < 0.001) but more PPTE exposures for all PPTE types than the general population (all p’s < 0.001). Cadets also endorsed fewer PPTE types (6.00 ± 4.47) than serving RCMP (11.64 ± 3.40; p < 0.001) and other PSP (11.08 ± 3.23) but more types than the general population (2.31 ± 2.33; p < 0.001). Participants who reported being exposed to any PPTE type reported the exposures occurred 1–5 times (29.1% of participants), 6–10 times (18.3%) or 10 + times (43.1%) before starting the CTP. Several PPTE types were associated with positive screens for one or more mental disorders. There were associations between PPTE types and increased odds of screening positive for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) (all p’s < 0.05). Serious transport accident (11.1%), physical assault (9.5%) and sudden accidental death (8.4%) were the PPTEs most identified as the worst event, and all were associated with positive screens for one or more mental disorders. Conclusion The current results provide the first information describing PPTE histories of cadets, evidencing exposure frequencies and types much higher than the general population. PPTE exposures may have contributed to the cadet's vocational choices. The current results support the growing evidence that PPTEs can be associated with diverse mental disorders; however, the results also suggest cadets may be uncommonly resilient, based on how few screened positive for mental disorders, despite reporting higher frequencies of PPTE exposures prior to CTP than the general population.
Open Access
Suicidal Ideation, Planning, and Attempts among Canadian Coast Guards and Conservation & Protection Officers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-12-06) Nisbet, Jolan; Jamshidi, Laleh; Andrews, Katie, L.; Teckchandani, Taylor, A.; Price, Jill, A. B.; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Anderson, Gregory, S.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
The current study provides estimates of suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts among Canadian Coast Guard personnel and Canadian Conservation and Protection Officers. Participants (n = 385; 59% men) completed a self-report survey that collected past-year and lifetime estimates of suicidal ideation, planning, attempts, sociodemographic information, and symptoms related to mental health disorders. Within the sample, participants reported lifetime suicidal ideation (25.7%), planning (10.9%), and attempts (5.5%). Participants reported past-year suicidal ideation (7.5%), planning (2.1%), and the percentage of attempts was too marginal to report due to ethical considerations. Canadian Coast Guard personnel and Conservation and Protection Officers reported higher percentages of past-year and lifetime suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts than the Canadian general population, but the percentages reported are comparable to other Canadian PSP sectors. No statistically significant results were observed for the sociodemographic covariates within the past-year, whereas, statistically significant results were observed for the lifetime sociodemographic covariates of age, province of residence, and previous work experience. There were statistically significant associations between past-year suicidal ideation and positive screens for major depressive disorder (MDD) and general anxiety disorder (GAD); as well, past-year suicidal planning was associated with social anxiety disorder (SAD). There were also statistically significant associations between lifetime suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts and positive screens for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), MDD, and SAD. Lifetime suicidal ideation and planning were associated with panic disorder (PD). The current estimates provide valuable information for clinicians and stakeholders involved in prevention programs, treatment, or future research.
Open Access
Suicidal Ideation, Planning, and Attempts Among new Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets
(SAGE Publications, 2023-02-03) Nisbet, Jolan; Jamshidi, Laleh; Maguire, Kirby, Q; Afifi, Tracie, O; Brunet, Alain; Fletcher, Amber, J.; Asmundson, Gordon; Sareen, Jitender; Shields, Robyn, E.; Andrews, Katie, L.; Sauer-Zavala, Shannon; Neary, J. Patrick; Lix, Lisa; Stewart, Sherry, H.; Krätzig, Gregory, P.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) report diverse occupational stressors and repeated exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events, which may increase the odds of screening positive for a mental disorder, and increase the risk of death by suicide. The current study was designed to provide prevalence information regarding suicidal behaviours (i.e., ideation, planning, attempts) and assess for sociodemographic differences among cadets at the start of the RCMP Cadet Training Program (CTP)
Open Access
When Our Work Hits Home: Trauma and Mental Disorders in Correctional Officers and Other Correctional Workers
(Frontiers Media, 2021-02-15) Fusco, Nina; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Jamshidi, Laleh; Carleton, R. Nicholas; Barnim, Nigel; Hilton, Zoe; Groll, Dianne
Background: International estimates suggest that up to one in three public safety personnel experience one or more mental disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Canadian data have been sparse until very recently, and correctional officers and forensic psychiatric staff have rarely been included. Working as a correctional officer is associated with negative health outcomes and increased work-related stress, with several variables affecting reported levels of stress. Healthcare staff also report higher rates of PTSD, especially those who are exposed to aggression in their workplace. In the present study, we compare current symptoms of diverse staff working in correctional occupations.