International journal of emergency mental health
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2005
Attachment and compassion fatigue among American and Israeli mental health clinicians working with traumatized victims of terrorism.
This study compared the construct of compassion fatigue with the role of attachment as a potential mediator among mental health clinicians working with victims of terrorism in the New York metropolitan region of the United States and Israel. Differences between clinicians practicing within Israel (n = 31) and New York (n = 35), in terms of their symptoms of compassion fatigue, compassion satisfaction, and "burnout," were not significant, as measured by multivariate analyses of variance. Based upon nonsignificant differences, mediational statistical tests could not be run; thus, mediation did not hold. ⋯ Israeli clinicians had significantly more avoidant attachment dimensions than their New York cohorts. The strongest predictors of compassion satisfaction were (a) low attachment anxiety and (b) sufficient clinical experience related to treating victims of trauma. The strongest predictors of burnout were (a) minimal clinical experience, (b) minimal experience working with trauma victims, and (c) greater avoidant attachment dimensions.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2005
Police officer suicide: causes, prevention, and practical intervention strategies.
More police officers die by their own hand than are killed in the line of duty. This article outlines the facts and statistics about police officer suicide and discusses the range of possible contributory factors to officer burnout, depression, and suicide. ⋯ Next, the article offers practical guidelines for dealing with officers in states of impending or acute suicidal crises. Finally, the importance of suicide prevention and intervention in the context of comprehensive mental health services for all public safety workers is highlighted.
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Int J Emerg Ment Health · Jan 2005
ReviewEmergency response service personnel and the critical incident stress debriefing debate.
Previous research has demonstrated the potential for work-related stress associated with employment in the emergency service field. However, little research has considered effective interventions that may be used to mediate the effects of this work-related stress. ⋯ However, the efficacy of this intervention is currently the source of much debate. The present discussion reviews the available literature regarding the effectiveness of CISD for use with emergency service workers and concludes that at this time, for this population, the call for the removal of current programs using CISD is unwarranted.