The PSP PTSI Logitudinal Study

An Augmented Training Program for Preventing Post-Traumatic Stress Injuries Among Diverse Public Safety Personnel

“The University of Regina is proud to support the RCMP Longitudinal PTSD Study, which is poised to benefit our past, present, and future RCMP members, as well as the many diverse public safety personnel in Canada and around the world who work to protect and serve our communities.”

-Dr. Jeff Keshen, President of the U of R

“Posttraumatic stress injuries, and other operational stress injuries, disproportionately affect police officers – people who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe and secure. We are committed to providing RCMP officers with the mental health support they need to recover.”

– Hon. Ralph Goodale, Former Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Participating Organizations

Fire

Regina Fire and Protective Services

Paramedic

Police

Estevan Police Service
Moose Jaw Police Service
Prince Albert Police Service
Regina Police Service
Saskatoon Police Service
Weyburn Police Service

Public-Safety Communicators

Association of Public-Safety Communication Officials

Purpose

This study is designed to test a mental health assessment and training program developed to strengthen the mental health resilience of public safety personnel (PSP) including public-safety communicators, firefighters, paramedics, and police, and to provide
psychological safety training for their leadership.  The PSP groups include a diverse set of professionals whose mental health is at increased risk for posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs); however, there has been very little research to determine
effective ways for mitigating PTSIs among PSP.  The study is designed to test several variables thought to be associated with mental health risk, resilience, and recovery.

Potential Benefits

The study will increase our understanding of risk and resiliency related to symptoms of PTSIs and contribute to the development of future training and treatment. Regular monitoring of mental health and activity typically improves ones’ mental health; as such, a key potential benefit for all participants should be improvements to their mental health. Survey and clinical interview results combined with physiological monitoring, should also provide important information allowing participants to identify trends and tailor activities allowing them to access help faster and make better personal choices for their own mental health and well-being. What this means is that recovery times should be faster for those who experience a mental health injury, while the study benefits by obtaining information to create supportive programs for helping others.

Participant Involvement and Activities

Participants will complete initial surveys and clinical interviews at the beginning of the study, then annual surveys and interviews for the next one and a half years. Daily and monthly surveys will also be completed along with the data collected by a seismocardiography device.

Research Publications

The longitudinal PSP PTSI Study extends the RCMP Longitudinal Study (www.rcmpstudy.ca) to diverse PSP, providing a concerted effort to address mental health injuries. The studies are designed to help identify problematic stress very early, provide evidence-based recommendations, and facilitate early access to effective mental health care. The development, analyses, and distribution of peer-reviewed articles from the longitudinal PSP PTSI Study are supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and a generous grant from the Medavie Foundation.

View our Publications

The ideal outcome of the longitudinal PSP PTSI Study will be the development of a world-class evidence-based system to support PSP mental health by reducing risk, increasing resilience, and accelerating access to treatment, all of which can then be made available for all those who serve. Initial results from longitudinal PSP PTSI Study are now available, and results will continue to become available over the next several years.