The impact of killing and injuring others on mental health symptoms among police officers

• Published in: Journal of psychiatric research Vol. 45; no. 10; pp. 1332 - 1336
• Main Authors: Komarovskaya, Irina, Maguen, Shira, McCaslin, Shannon E, Metzler, Thomas J, Madan, Anita, Brown, Adam D, Galatzer-Levy, Isaac R, Henn-Haase, Clare, Marmar, Charles R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Alcohol Drinking - psychology; Anxiety disorders. Neuroses; Biological and medical sciences; Depression - psychology; Female; Homicide - psychology; Humans; Injuring; Killing; Male; Medical sciences; Mental Health; Mental health services; Mental illness; Middle Aged; Police; Police officers; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; PTSD; Risk Factors; Sampling Studies; Social Adjustment; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Stress, Psychological - psychology; Symptoms; Use of force; Wounds and Injuries - psychology; Killing; PTSD; Use of force; Injuring; Police; Symptomatology; Anxiety disorder; Mental health; Mental disorder; Policeman; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Stress
• ISSN: 0022-3956; 1879-1379
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.05.004

Abstract This study examined the relationship between killing or seriously injuring someone in the line of duty and mental health symptoms in a sample of police officers ( N  = 400) who were first assessed during academy training and at five additional time points over three years. We found that nearly 10% of police officers reported having to kill or seriously injure someone in the line of duty in the first three years of police service. After controlling for demographics and exposure to life threat, killing or seriously injuring someone in the line of duty was significantly associated with PTSD symptoms ( p  < .01) and marginally associated with depression symptoms ( p  = .06). These results highlight the potential mental health impact of killing or seriously injuring someone in the line of duty. Greater attention to mental health services following these types of exposures can serve as a preventative measure for police officers who have been negatively impacted.