Routine work environment stress and PTSD symptoms in police officers.
This study examined the relationship between routine work environment stress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of police officers (N = 180) who were first assessed during academy training and reassessed 1-year later. In a model that included gender, ethnicity, traumatic exposure prior to entering the academy, current negative life events, and critical incident exposure over the last year, routine work environment stress was most strongly associated with PTSD symptoms. We also found that routine work environment stress mediated the relationship between critical incident exposure and PTSD symptoms and between current negative life events and PTSD symptoms. Ensuring that the work environment is functioning optimally protects against the effects of duty-related critical incidents and negative life events outside police service.
Maguen
Shira
S
San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, USA. Shira.Maguen@va.gov
Metzler
Thomas J
TJ
McCaslin
Shannon E
SE
Inslicht
Sabra S
SS
Henn-Haase
Clare
C
Neylan
Thomas C
TC
Marmar
Charles R
CR
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D016495:Police / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population; D017132:Workplace / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*