Psychology Commons^™

Refinement And Preliminary Testing Of An Imagery-Based Program To Improve Coping And Performance And Prevent Trauma Among Urban Police Officers, Eamonn Arble, Mark A. Lumley, Nnamdi Pole, James Blessman, Bengt B. Arnetz

Psychology: Faculty Publications

Police officers are regularly exposed to traumatic critical incidents. The substantial mental, behavioral, and social costs of police trauma indicate a substantial need for prevention. We have refined and enhanced a previously tested Swedish program to the harsh conditions of U.S. inner cities. The program was designed to strengthen resilience during stressful encounters and teach methods of coping after exposure, thereby preventing the emergence of maladaptive symptoms and behaviors with adverse effects on professionalism. In an uncontrolled demonstration project, junior officers were trained by senior officers to engage in imaginal rehearsal of specific dangerous situations while incorporating optimal police tactics …