Occupational Stress and Traumatic Stress

doi:10.1017/9781108848916.043

5.4 - Occupational Stress and Traumatic Stress

from Part V - Civil Proceedings

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 December 2021

Paula Brough ,

Amanda Biggs ,

Briana Brandon and

Victoria Follette

Edited by

Jennifer M. Brown and

Miranda A. H. Horvath

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Jennifer M. Brown: Affiliation:
London School of Economics and Political Science
Miranda A. H. Horvath: Affiliation:
University of Suffolk

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Summary

This chapter reviews the evidence, theories, and treatments for both occupational and traumatic stress commonly experienced by criminal justice service workers (i.e., police, corrections workers, etc). Due to the nature and structure of their work, criminal justice service workers are at a high-risk of experiencing occupational stress and/or traumatic stress, and this chapter reviews the effective treatment options to counter these stress experiences. The chapter identifies the key causes (antecedents) of both occupational and traumatic stress for criminal justice service workers, and the symptoms and consequences these experiences commonly produce. We also discuss the key theoretical explanations of these stress experiences, and issues such as vicarious trauma, moral injury and chronic stress reactions. The final section in this chapter discusses common interventions and treatments to manage these stress experiences, including: Employee Assistance Programs, Critical Incident Stress Management, peer support, psychological first-aid, the first responder toolkit, and acceptance and commitment therapy.

Keywords

Stress Trauma Police Corrections PTSD

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of Forensic Psychology , pp. 697 - 715

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108848916.043 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2021

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