Psychology

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Open Access
A Canadian national study of provincial and territorial correctional workers' suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts
(Wiley, 2024-09-14) R. Ricciardelli; R. N. Carleton; M. S. Johnston; S. Dorniani; T. L. Taillieu; T. O. Afifi
AbstractCorrectional workers (CWs) endure several operational stressors (e.g., exposures to potentially psychologically traumatic events) and organisational stressors (e.g., shift work, staff shortages), which are associated with positive screens for mental disorders and self‐reports of suicidal behaviours and thus urgently warrant further inquiry. The Canadian Provincial and Territorial Correctional Worker Mental Health and Well‐Being Study (CWMH) used an online survey to collect data from Canadian correctional service organisations across all 13 provinces and territories. This national Canadian study investigates suicidal behaviours among CWs across diverse occupational roles and provincial and territorial jurisdictions (n = 3740, 50.1% female). The results estimated prevalence proportions for self‐reported past‐year and lifetime suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts across the 13 Canadian provincial and territorial correctional systems, with the exceptions of past‐year suicidal planning in Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Yukon where jurisdictional considerations and requests precluded the inclusion of select questions. Substantial proportions of participants reported past‐year or lifetime suicidal ideation (i.e., 9.1%, 29.2%, respectively), planning (i.e., 4.1%, 14.7%, respectively), or attempts (i.e., 0.8%, 7.2%, respectively). Sociodemographic variables (i.e., sex, age, marital status, total years of service, occupational category) were associated with past‐year and lifetime suicidal behaviours. Findings provide opportunities for future research and can inform tailored efforts by clinicians, service providers, and organisational leaders to support proactive interventions and treatments, including supporting the partners and families of CWs, fostering social support networks, and improving access to timely mental health treatment.
Open Access
A Scoping Review of the Components of Moral Resilience: Its Role in Addressing Moral Injury or Moral Distress for High-Risk Occupation Workers
(Springer, 2023-12-14) Osifeso, Temitope; Crocker, Sierra J.; Lentz, Liana; Smith-MacDonald, Lorraine; Seliman, Merna; Limenih, Gojjam; MacPhee, Renée S.; Anderson, Gregory S.; Brémault-Phillips, Suzette; Malloy, David; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Purpose of Review: High-risk occupation workers (HROWs) are often exposed to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) which can contribute to moral distress (MD) or moral injury (MI). Moral resilience (MR) has been proposed as a protective or moderating factor to protect HROWs from harm caused by PMIE exposures. The current review was designed to: 1) update the definition of MR to a broader context of HROWs; 2) identify components of MR for HROWs; and 3) determine demographic variables that may impact MR development.
Open Access
Adapting a mindfulness-based intervention for depression and anxiety for use with indigenous university students
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2021-04) Desjarlais, Sharon M.
Indigenous university students experience high rates of anxiety and depression, due primarily to the pernicious and persistent effects of colonialism, racism, and discrimination. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are promising for depression and anxiety; however, they require adaptation to make them more culturally relevant for diverse populations, specifically Indigenous peoples. The purpose of this study was to adapt an MBI for anxiety and depression to make it culturally relevant for Indigenous university students, thereby ensuring a culturally sensitive and congruent intervention approach with this particular population. To achieve this, goal, 14 (female = 86%, male = 14%; Mage = 28.92) Indigenous university students from the University of Regina and First Nations University were invited to provide input for adapting a mindfulness-based intervention protocol. The three-part study employed a mixed method design along with Indigenous research methods (e.g., talking circle) to elicit feedback from the students regarding their perceptions of the acceptability and cultural relevance of MBIs, and ways to make them consistent with Indigenous cultures and student lifestyle. In Part 1 and Part 3, participants (n = 14 and n = 9, respectively) completed an online survey consisting of Likert scale and open-ended qualitative questions. In Part 2, these participants (n=6) also engaged in a talking circle in which open-ended qualitative questions elicited more in-depth feedback. Thematic analysis was used to analyze survey and talking circle data. Students emphasized the need for incorporation of a) traditional Indigenous practices (e.g., sweats and smudging) into the MBI; and b) an Indigenous intervention facilitator. The emergent themes were used in the adaptation of an MBI description. The adapted MBI, titled Miyowâyâwin Mindful Wellbeing Program, received favorable evaluations by students for cultural consistency (M = 5.00, 6 being highest). Indigenous cultures are heterogenous, and so could not be represented in their fullness in the adaptation process. The small sample size may limit the generalizability of the results. This study paves the way for the latter steps of the design and subsequent evaluation of the Miyowâyâwin Mindful Wellbeing Program among Indigenous students.
Open Access
Adults' awareness of coaching in child sexual abuse cases
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2025-04) Wark, Amy E.
Child sexual abuse (CSA) victims often withhold disclosure due to the perpetrator coaching
Open Access
Adults’ perceptions of child eyewitness credibility: multiple independent lineups
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2024-04) Engel, Katherine M.
Eyewitness testimony is a powerful piece of evidence in criminal cases (O’Neill et al., 2011; Neal et al., 2012), but this can be problematic as eyewitness testimony is a leading cause of wrongful convictions (Innocence Project, 2023). Mistaken eyewitness testimony is prominent in children, as children identify innocent suspects more frequently than adults (Fitzgerald & Price, 2015). Age-appropriate lineup techniques have been explored to reflect child eyewitness accuracy, such as the multiple independent lineups technique (MIL; Carr & Bruer, 2023). Although Carr & Bruer (2023) found promising results using the MIL technique with children, how adults perceive child eyewitness credibility through MIL was unstudied. This study aimed to fill this gap in how adults perceive child eyewitness credibility on the MIL. To do so, juryeligible participants (N =176. 73% female, 24% male, 3% identified as other [i.e., nonbinary], Mage = 23.26, SD = 7.85) read a mock trial transcript where the child eyewitness made their identification(s) of the suspect through the traditional lineup or the MIL technique. Perceived credibility for the participants was measured through several different dimensions (i.e., identification, overall credibility, honesty, and cognitive ability). Largely, the results did not indicate any significant differences across lineup techniques (traditional lineup or MIL), nor the age of the child eyewitnesses (younger or older). This indicates that adults perceive child eyewitness credibility similarly regardless of technique used and age of the child eyewitness. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Open Access
Adults’ perceptions of children who disclose a transgression to peers or adults
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2017-04) Harvey, Madison B.
Children who witness or experience a transgression often do not disclose the event to anyone. There are a variety of reasons why a child may not disclose this event, such as being asked to keep it a secret, fear that they will not be believed, or concerns about their safety. When children do disclose, it may be to an adult or another child. Yet, it has not been established how these peer- to-peer disclosures are perceived by adults. The present study examined adult perceptions of children who disclose (or not) to a peer and children who disclose (or not) to an adult. Participants rated children on measures of credibility, honesty, and accuracy after hearing a recorded conversation of a child discussing an event to either a peer or an adult. Results indicate that children who disclosed a transgression were perceived as less credible, less honest, and less accurate when talking to another child. This has significant implications for the justice system, as it demonstrates that children who disclose a transgression may be seen as less credible witnesses.
Open Access
Ambivalent attitudes inform peer perceptions of pregnant and parenting students
(Faculty of Science, University of Regina, 2023-04) Kirby, Kayla M.
Student success in university is influenced by the strength of peer relationships, especially for the growing population of pregnant and parenting (P&P) students. Although the P&P student population now comprises nearly one-quarter of all students, high drop-out rates illustrate the importance of examining the interactions between P&P students and their non- pregnant and non-parenting (non-P&P) counterparts. This study examined non-P&P students’ perceptions and stereotypes about P&P students, their valance and impact on interactions between these student populations, and the values that inform ideas about accommodations for P&P students. Twenty-five undergraduate students participated in semi-structured focus groups of 1-8 participants each. Reflexive thematic analysis generated the core theme of ambivalent attitudes inform ideas about P&P students. This encompassed five secondary themes. The first secondary theme was stereotypes influence the perception of P&P students, and the second was perceptions of P&P students are influenced by an appreciation for the challenges they face. Though P&P students need a supportive environment to succeed, they are rarely noticed in the classroom, and it should remain that way was the third secondary theme. The fourth secondary theme was ambivalent attitudes about campus climate. The final secondary theme was there should be constraints around the resources available to P&P students, which had two subthemes of P&P students should have access to accommodations and other resources and accommodations should only be available for genuine, uncontrollable circumstances. Implications for this research are discussed.
Open Access
An investigation into the impacts of adverse childhood experiences on autonomic and psychological stress reactivity
(Faculty of Science, University of Regina, 2025-04-25) Melnyk, Carissa
Adverse childhood experiences are linked with adverse mental and physical health outcomes in adulthood, and long-term stress response alterations may contribute to this relationship. Past research suggests robust relationships between adverse childhood experiences and blunted hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and heart rate reactivity to stress. However, the influence of adverse childhood experiences on autonomic and psychological stress reactivity within laboratory settings remains under-researched. The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is a well-established approach to inducing stress, but comparative control conditions are not as well documented. This study aimed to validate a control TSST (C-TSST) and examine whether adverse childhood experiences predict autonomic and psychological stress reactivity. In this two-part study, participants first reported the number of adverse childhood experiences to which they had been exposed prior to the age of 18 years. Subsequently, a within-subjects experimental design was employed, and eligible participants (N = 58) completed the TSST and C-TSST while physiological (i.e., heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance level) and psychological (i.e., stress appraisals, state anxiety) responses were measured. Repeated measures t-tests showed that, compared to the TSST condition, participants had significantly lower heart rate, skin conductance, and stress appraisal levels along with higher heart rate variability in the TSST condition. These results provide support for the C-TSST as a comparative control condition for the TSST. Simple linear regressions with adverse childhood experiences as the predictor variable and stress reactivity measures as the dependent variables revealed no significant findings. Future research should continue to explore the potentially more nuanced effects of ACEs on stress reactivity with larger and more representative samples.
Open Access
Anchoring has little effect when forming first impressions of facial attractiveness
(SAGE Publications, 2024-09-25) Robin S. S. Kramer; Yaren Koca; Michael O. Mireku; Chris Oriet
First impressions based on facial appearance affect our behaviour towards others. Since the same face will appear different across images, over time, and so on, our impressions may not be equally weighted across exposures but are instead disproportionately influenced by earlier or later instances. Here, we followed up on previous work which identified an anchoring effect, whereby higher attractiveness ratings were given to a person after viewing naturally varying images of their face presented in descending (high-to-low), rather than ascending (low-to-high), order of attractiveness of these images. In Experiment 1 ( n = 301), we compared these ‘descending’ and ‘ascending’ conditions for unfamiliar identities by presenting six-image sequences. Although we found higher attractiveness ratings for the ‘descending’ condition, this small effect equated to only 0.22 points on a 1–7 response scale. In Experiment 2 ( n = 307), we presented these six-image sequences in a random order and found no difference in attractiveness ratings given to these randomly ordered sequences when compared with those resulting from both our ‘descending’ and ‘ascending’ conditions. Further, we failed to detect an influence of the earlier images in these random sequences on attractiveness ratings. Taken together, we found no compelling evidence that anchoring could have an effect on real-world impression formation.
Open Access
Animal companions and speciesism: does pet ownership affect species prejudice?
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2022-04) Ha, Alex
Since humanity's conception, human-animal relations have played an important role in our survival. At the same time, human-animal relations are often described as “speciest” due to the human tendency of applying unequal levels of moral status between different animals. While speciesism has been correlated with traits such as empathy and gender, research looking into the relationship between animal companions and speciesism is lacking. In the present study, I delved into this possible association by investigating how participants evaluated moral scenarios involving different pets. Participants were given a short animal passage and five animal companions. While reading the passage, participants would interchangeably include one of the provided species and rate how morally wrong the passage was. Afterwards, they were provided additional scales that measured empathy, speciesism, and prior contact with pets. Independent t-tests results showed that pet-owners rated moral concerns scenarios as being more morally wrong. However, this effect was only significant for the treatment of dogs and cats. Linear regression data also showcased that prior contact with pets was a significant predictor when it came to the moral concern of pets, while speciesism and empathy were not. Results from the study suggest that rather than empathy or speciesism, it is prior contact with animal companions that seems to play the largest role in determining moral concern for pets, but this largely applies to dogs and cats. Future studies within the realm of speciesism should look further into the strong influence of prior experience as it remains a relatively unexplored topic.
Open Access
Anxiety-related psychopathology and chronic pain comorbidity among public safety personnel
(Elsevier, 2018-03-28) Carleton, R. Nicholas; Afifi, Tracie, O; Taillieu, Tamara; Turner, Sarah; El-Gabalawy, Renee; Sareen, Jitender; Asmundson, Gordon
Canadian Public Safety Personnel (PSP; e.g., correctional service officers, dispatchers, firefighters, paramedics, police officers) regularly experience potentially traumatic, painful, and injurious events. Such exposures increase risk for developing mental disorders and chronic pain, which both involve substantial personal and social costs. The interrelationship between mental disorders and chronic pain is well-established, and both can be mutually maintaining; accordingly, understanding the relationship between mental health and chronic pain among PSP is important for improving health care. Unfortunately, the available research on such comorbidity for PSP is sparse. The current study was designed to provide initial estimates of comorbidities between mental disorders and chronic pain across diverse PSP. Participants included 5093 PSP (32% women) in six categories (i.e., Call Center Operators/Dispatchers, Correctional Workers, Firefighters, Municipal/Provincial Police, Paramedics, Royal Canadian Mounted Police) who participated in a large PSP mental health survey. The survey included established self-report measures for mental disorders and chronic pain. In the total sample, 23.1% of respondents self-reported clinically significant comorbid concerns with both mental disorders and chronic pain. The results indicated PSP who reported chronic pain were significantly more likely to screen positive for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder. There were differences between PSP categories; but, the most consistent indications of comorbidity were for chronic pain, PTSD, and major depressive disorder. Comorbidity between chronic pain and mental disorders among PSP is prevalent. Health care providers should regularly assess PSP for both symptom domains.
Open Access
Are expectations of obstructed facial features accurate?
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2023-04) Derow, Magdalyn
To fill in missing facial information of partially obstructed, unfamiliar faces, it is believed that people form an accurate holistic expectation. In support of this claim, Winand (2022) demonstrated that participants could correctly match the bottom half of a face to its top half. Yet, the study is limited by the fact that participants may have been able to match the face halves using superficial characteristics such as shading and texture rather than the shapes and sizes of features. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to replicate Winand’s (2022) findings with a task in which such superficial matching strategies cannot be used. This was achieved by morphing images together to blur out such inconsistencies in the stimuli. Undergraduates (N=122) were shown the top and bottom halves of a face that belonged to either a single-identity (two photos of the same identity morphed together) or dual-identity (two different identities morphed together). Participants toggled between two randomly chosen bottom halves that belonged to either the same people shown in the top half or different people, and chose the bottom half that best matched the top half. Overall, accuracy was well above chance, but highest when choosing the best single-identity bottom half for a single-identity top. Thus, although incorporating another identity decreases accuracy, people are generally able to find similarities among the top and bottom half identities without the aid of superficial characteristics. This suggests that people accurately form a holistic expectation based on the available top features.
Open Access
Are snakes remembered better than other animals: an investigation of human recall accuracy for snakes in relation to other living things
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2020-04-14) Trudelle, Avery
It is theorized that primates, including humans, developed an automatic visual processing system to detect snakes. Evidence suggests that primates and humans today are able to detect snake stimuli quicker than most other living stimuli. It is also known that snakes are one of the most common animal phobias in humans. Conversely, there is little evidence to bear on human memory for snakes. In theory, with snakes drawing a lot of attention in various studies they should be remembered exceptionally well. In the present study, 80 participants completed an experiment that tested detection speed for snakes and implemented a second task which examined human recall accuracy for snakes compared to other living stimuli. Results did not provide any evidence for better snake detection, nor any evidence that snakes are remembered any better than other living stimuli.
Open Access
Are we more receptive to bullshit when it comes from a source we trust?
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2020-04) Brogden, Sydney
The current work sought to explore the relationship between trust and pseudo-profound bullshit receptivity. There is currently a gap in the literature when considering how trust in a source will impact an individual’s receptivity to pseudo-profound bullshit. An individual’s trust in a given source will influence how content from that source is evaluated, and consequently how it is perceived (Hovland & Weiss, 1951; Lorge 1936). Pseudo-profound bullshit is bullshit that is constructed in a way that sounds impressive due to obscure and complex language but is empty of meaning (Pennycook et al., 2015b). Two studies were designed to explore the relationship between information about who the source of the content is, participants opinion of that source, and pseudo-profound bullshit receptivity. Study One (N = 163) was meant to replicate and extend previous findings of Pennycook and colleagues’ 2015(b) study by including another individual to provide content, and to replicate findings with respect to the Cognitive Reflection Task (CRT). Study Two compared conditions of Source (source provided or not) and opinions (reliability, fandom) to see how these conditions affect bullshit receptivity. It was thought that a positive opinion of a presented source would result in higher profundity ratings, whereas a negative opinion with a source presented would result in lower profundity ratings. Results were expected to be similar regardless of opinion when no source information was provided. Results from Study One were as expected, with strong (r > .70) positive correlations between real and generated phrases, which correlate negatively with the CRT. This implies that the real and generated content are psychologically indistinguishable. Study Two proceeded but found no main interaction for source condition and opinion. Presence or absence of the given source did not have a direct impact on profundity ratings. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
Open Access
Arithmetic concepts and their relationship to executive function in grade 1-3 students
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2021-04) Gust, Sydney Lynn
Researchers have proposed that children’s understanding of arithmetic concepts is related to executive function (working memory, inhibition, switching, and updating) but this relation has been rarely investigated (Bull et al., 2001). Three arithmetic concepts were examined on a problem-solving task: inversion (i.e., addition and subtraction are inverse relations, 3+14-14), associativity ( i.e., addition and subtraction can be solved in any order, 3+14-12), and equivalence ( i.e., both sides of an equation have to be equal, 3+14+12=3+?). We hypothesized that (1) inversion would be the best understood concept, (2) there would be few grade differences in concept understanding, and (3) executive function tasks would be positively associated with the arithmetic concepts. Twenty-one Grade 1-3 children solved arithmetic concept problems and completed executive function tasks. Contrary to the first hypothesis, equivalence was the best understood concept. The second hypothesis could not be tested due to a small number of participants. Contrary to the third hypothesis, no relations were found between the arithmetic concepts and the executive function tasks. Equivalence may have been the best understood because problems could not be accurately solved without using it as a conceptually-based strategy. Understanding inversion and associativity is not necessary for successful problem solving. Children are used to solving problems from left-to-right and may not utilize more efficient problem-solving strategies. Data collection continues to determine whether the second and third hypotheses will be supported with a larger sample size. Overall, investigating the understanding of arithmetic concepts continues to be critical as it is considered essential for developing later mathematical skills (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008).
Open Access
Art within art: exploring the meaning of body art in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2022) Johnson, Braydon Russell
When watching combat athletes step into the arena, a spectator is likely to notice that many fighters are adorned with body art. In recent years, tattoos in sports have been investigated to determine if they provide a direct advantage in athletic performance, but otherwise, this particular intersection has been sparsely researched. This study engages with Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) athletes to explore the relationship between fighters and their tattoos. The participation criteria required athletes to be 18 years or older, have achieved at least a purple belt in the sport, and have a tattoo. The participants consisted of 5 men between the ages of 25 to 37 years of age. Four participants were black belts (approx. ten years of experience), and the other participant was a purple belt (approx. four years of experience). The study used in-depth interviews guided by phenomenological principles. The analysis also included a combination of interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) to analyze the contents of the interviews, a personal journal for the bracketing process, and photos of participant tattoos. Results indicate that these BJJ athletes share meaning in the following three ways: First, for active competitors, specific tattoos symbolize personifications of internal feelings and abilities that are seemingly helpful to athlete performance; and they are meant to purposefully convey an augmented sense of toughness to appear more imposing. Second, most athletes reported that the most common tattoos in BJJ commemorate the sport's influence on the athlete's sense of self. Third, the relationships that competitive athletes' have with their tattoos reveal that non-BJJ-related tattoos took on additional meaning relating to their practice of BJJ.
Open Access
Assessing a new teaching method for Point-of-Care Ultrasound
(Faculty of Arts, University of Regina, 2025-04) Pérez, Ana Carolina Martínez
Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) uses small ultrasound devices that can be used at patients’ bedsides. POCUS can lead to faster diagnoses and treatment but requires extensive training to use effectively. This study evaluated whether eye tracking can differentiate between experts and novice POCUS users to help develop better teaching methods. Ten novices (medical students) and 1 expert (ER physician) had their eye movements recorded while they viewed POCUS lung videos of three different types: Pneumothorax (collapsed lung), Healthy Lung, and Potential False Diagnosis (pseudopneumothorax) to determine the presence of Pneumothorax. The expert had 100% accuracy but the novices’ accuracy did not go above 60%. Novices’ performance was best on the Pneumothorax videos. The expert had high confidence in their decisions while the novices had low to moderate confidence levels. Heat maps showed that the expert had a much more focused gaze on the area of interest (AOI) while novices missed the AOI or had more scattered gaze patterns. This study showed that gaze patterns and accuracy did not always match, where often a participant showed a gaze pattern associated to accuracy but gave an incorrect response, or vice versa. Instead of inferring skill only from gaze, this observation can tell about the specific level of both ultrasound knowledge and visual search strategies, and provide personalized feedback to learners. It also tells expert gaze involves fixating only the correct area, then making the correct diagnostic decision, and novices need training on both to advance towards expertise.
Open Access
Assessing Relative Stressors and Mental Disorders among Canadian Provincial Correctional Workers
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2021-09-23) Konyk, Katy; Ricciardelli, Rosemary; Taillieu, Tamara; Afifi, Tracie, O; Groll, Dianne; Carleton, R. Nicholas
In the current study, we quantified the mean stress levels of 43 occupational stressors for 868 Correctional Workers (CWs) and analyzed the relationships between occupational stressors, exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs), and mental health disorders. Our findings emphasize the importance of the occupational environment in relation to CW mental health and indicate that occupational stressors (e.g., staff shortages, inconsistent leadership style, bureaucratic red tape) are more salient contributors to CW mental health than exposure to PPTEs. Finding strategies to ameliorate staff shortages, improve leadership style and communication, and support CWs to maintain physical, mental, and social well-being would be interventions tied to significant organizational and operational stressors within the current study.
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 Perceptions and Impact of Critical Incident Stress Management Peer Support among Firefighters and Paramedics in Canada
(Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 2022-04-20) Price, Jill, A. B.; Landry, Caeleigh, A.; Sych, Jeff; McNeil, Malcolm; Stelnicki, Andrea, M.; Asmundson, Aleiia, J.N.; Carleton, R. Nicholas
Relative to the general population, public safety personnel (PSP) appear at an increased risk of developing mental health challenges as a result of repeated exposure to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs). To help mitigate the impact of PPTEs on PSP mental health, many PSP agencies have implemented diverse peer support despite limited empirical evidence. The current study was designed to expand the empirical evidence surrounding peer support by investigating one of the most widely used and structured peer support resources: Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Specifically, the current study with integrated firefighters and paramedics assessed (a) the prevalence of mental disorders; (b) perceptions of high fidelity CISM peer support; and (c) the comparative associations of CISM with high fidelity (n = 91) versus unknown fidelity (n = 60) versus no CISM (n = 64) and mental health. Results indicated that (a) mental disorders are prevalent among PSP irrespective of gender, age, and years of service; (b) participants perceived CISM peer support as offering beneficial and valuable tools (e.g., skills and coping strategies); and (c) high fidelity CISM environments offer some mental health benefits to individuals who screen positive for alcohol use disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Overall, the current study offers novel information that can inform future directions for evidence-based peer support and policy decisions designed to support the mental health of PSP.

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