Stress disorders - State breaks new ground in trauma therapy for police officers
Confrontation with abused children, murder of life partners, and suicide of colleagues - such incidents do not pass unnoticed by police officers. Insights from a study conducted by the Ulm Police, the German Trauma Foundation, and the Ulm University Hospital are now being implemented in all 13 police presidiums in Baden-Württemberg. The goal: to prevent and treat post-traumatic stress disorders.
The core piece of the study, which is being funded by the state to the tune of 170,000 euros, is a 24-hour pulse measurement. It is intended to help make potential trauma sequelae visible. These can be headaches, sensory disturbances, neck problems, or insomnia. Based on objective body reaction data, stress factors in daily service life are identified in consultation with experts. At the same time, resistance to stressors is measured, as project leader Marc Jarczok of the Ulm University Hospital explains.
On a stress scale, confrontation with abused, injured, and dead children ranks at the very top, followed by suicide of a colleague, dealing with sexual abuse of children, threat to one's own life, and serious injury to a colleague. "Such experiences can leave a deep mark on some people, they dream about them and remember them at the slightest prompting," Jarczok explains and adds: "Worst-case scenario, this means the end of a career."
The social scientist emphasizes: "The unique aspect of this study is that we have managed to make the transition from a preventive interview approach in the lab to practical application in the workplace almost seamlessly." Affected individuals should receive individual recommendations, such as meditation and regular work breaks.
- The Ulm Police, along with the German Trauma Foundation and Ulm University Hospital, conducted a study in Baden-Württemberg to address the high stress levels among police officers, often due to confrontations with traumatic incidents like murder and suicide.
- The study, funded by the state, used a 24-hour pulse measurement to detect potential trauma sequelae in police officers, which could include symptoms like headaches, sensory disturbances, and insomnia.
- Ulm University Hospital's Marc Jarczok, the project leader, highlighted that dealing with abused children, suicide of colleagues, and other traumatic events can significantly impact an officer's health and potentially lead to a stress disorder or even the end of their career.
- As a result of this study, trauma therapy and stress management techniques like meditation and regular work breaks will be implemented in all 13 police presidiums in Baden-Württemberg to help police officers cope with the stress and prevent post-traumatic stress disorders.
