Risk and Resiliency Factors in the RCMP: A Prospective Investigation

Conditions studied

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depressive Disorder, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Trauma, Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma and Stress Related Disorders, Vicarious Trauma

About this study

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), like all public safety personnel (PSP), are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events that contribute to posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). Addressing PTSI is impeded by the limited available research. The RCMP are working to build evidence-based solutions to PTSI and other mental health challenges facing their members, which by extension will help all PSP, as part of the Canadian Government Federal Framework on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. A key element is the "Longitudinal Study of Operational Stress Injuries / Étude longitudinale sur les traumatismes liés au stress opérationnel", a study which has been renamed "Risk and Resiliency Factors in the RCMP: A Prospective Investigation", and is referred to as the "RCMP Study" for short. The RCMP Study has been detailed online (www.rcmpstudy.ca) and in a recently published peer-reviewed protocol paper, "The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Study: protocol for a prospective investigation of mental health risk and resilience factors" (https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.42.8.02). The RCMP Study, part of the concerted efforts by the RCMP to reduce PTSI by improving access to evidence-based assessments, treatments, and training as well as participant recruitment and RCMP Study developments to date. The RCMP Study has been designed to (1) develop, deploy and assess the impact of a system for ongoing annual, monthly and daily evidence-based assessments; (2) evaluate associations between demographic variables and PTSI; (3) longitudinally assess individual differences associated with PTSI; (4) augment the RCMP Cadet Training Program with skills to proactively mitigate PTSI; and (5) assess the impact of the augmented training condition (ATC) versus the standard training condition (STC). Participants in the STC (n = 480) and ATC (n = 480) are assessed before and after training and annually for 5 years on their deployment date; they also complete brief monthly and daily surveys. The RCMP Study results are expected to benefit the mental health of all participants, RCMP and PSP by reducing PTSI among all who serve.

Interventions

• Behavioral: Emotional Resilience Skills Training (ERST) — The ERST training is designed as a "train the trainer" model. Sauer-Zavala, a co-developer of the UP, personally trained a group of RCMP trainers during a week-long interactive workshop. The trainers continue to have access to Sauer-Zavala for optional follow-up consultation and support related to delivery of the ERST training for questions or to address any issues that arise during training. Having consultation and support available for the trainers should help to offset concerns raised about ensuring training fidelity subsequent to other mental health programs. Participants have ongoing access to ERST to support skill retention after training is completed, which should help to offset previous indications of problems with skill development for mental health programs.
• Behavioral: Active Monitoring — Participants in the STC will be assessed for at least 66 months, via full assessments (i.e., self-report surveys, clinical interviews), monthly assessments (i.e., \~20 minute self-report surveys), daily assessments (i.e., \~1 minute self-report surveys), and biometric assessments. The self-monitoring and feedback should be inherently beneficial and should facilitate earlier access to evidence-based care, which is why the STC is considered an active comparator.

Primary outcomes

• Change in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms from Time 1 (pre-training; week 1) to Time 2 (post-training; week 26) (Time 1 (pre-training; week 1), Time 2 (post-training; week 26))
• Sustained Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms from Time 2 (post-training; week 26) to Time 7 (5-year follow-up) (Time 2 (post-training; week 26), Time 3 (1-year follow-up), Time 4 (2-year follow-up), Time 5 (3-year follow-up), Time 6 (4-year follow-up), Time 7 (5-year follow-up))
• Change in Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms from Time 1 (pre-training; week 1) to Time 2 (post-training; week 26) (Time 1 (pre-training; week 1), Time 2 (post-training; week 26))
• Sustained Major Depressive Disorder Symptoms from Time 2 (post-training; week 26) to Time 7 (5-year follow-up) (Time 2 (post-training; week 26), Time 3 (1-year follow-up), Time 4 (2-year follow-up), Time 5 (3-year follow-up), Time 6 (4-year follow-up), Time 7 (5-year follow-up))
• Change in Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms from Time 1 (pre-training; week 1) to Time 2 (post-training; week 26) (Time 1 (pre-training; week 1), Time 2 (post-training; week 26))
• Sustained Generalized Anxiety Disorder Symptoms from Time 2 (post-training; week 26) to Time 7 (5-year follow-up) (Time 2 (post-training; week 26), Time 3 (1-year follow-up), Time 4 (2-year follow-up), Time 5 (3-year follow-up), Time 6 (4-year follow-up), Time 7 (5-year follow-up))
• Change in Panic Disorder Symptoms from Time 1 (pre-training; week 1) to Time 2 (post-training; week 26) (Time 1 (pre-training; week 1), Time 2 (post-training; week 26))
• Sustained Panic Disorder Symptoms from Time 2 (post-training; week 26) to Time 7 (5-year follow-up) (Time 2 (post-training; week 26), Time 3 (1-year follow-up), Time 4 (2-year follow-up), Time 5 (3-year follow-up), Time 6 (4-year follow-up), Time 7 (5-year follow-up))

Eligibility information

Study locations

• University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan S4S0A2 Canada