The impact of posttraumatic sress on Iraqi police.
Author: McNally VJ.
Source:
International journal of emergency mental health, 8(4), 275-281.
This paper explores the psychological impact of posttraumatic stress on a sample
of the Iraqi Police Service (IPS). Four separate surveys of lPS members were
administered utilizing a 17-item National Center for PTSD checklist. In total,
231 of the 520 IPS (44%) achieved scores indicating that they had met the
criteria for the diagnosis of PTSD. As a result, a two-hour lecture dealing with
critical incidents, stress, cumulative stress, vicarious traumatization,
posttraumatic stress disorder reactions to terrorism, compassion fatigue,
burnout, and acute traumatic stress management (ATSM--which helps manage
individual responses during traumatic events) was developed. This intervention
was translated and conducted in Arabic for the IPS. It was noted that the
majority of IPS surveyed never had been given information regarding traumatic
stress symptoms or reactions, nor were they aware that they themselves might have
traumatic stress. In addition, there is very little access to appropriate
psychological assistance, either on the job or in the community.