The impact of psychological assistance following an exposure to a potentially traumatic event on the psychological health of police workers

According to the literature, police work is one of the professions most likely to encounter traumatic events (Carlier & Gersons 1994, Gersons & Carlier 1992, 1994). As part of this research project, we retain the name “potentially traumatic event” (Josse, 2014). As a result, one event can be traumatic for one person and not for another; it can be traumatic today and not be traumatic tomorrow. Despite the importance given to occupational health and the risks associated with being a police officer, there are few empirical studies on this subject. In this context, this research focuses on the effect of psychological help following a potentially traumatic event on the psychological health of police officers. The theoretical model of Gilbert, Dagenais-Desmarais and Savoie (2011) was used to define the dependent variable composed of psychological well-being (serenity, commitment and social harmony) and psychological distress (anxiety, disengagement and irritability). The present study hypothetizes that police officers who have used psychological counseling following exposure to a potentially traumatic event present a higher level of well-being at work than those who did not seek help. This is an ex post facto design. Five hundred and fifty-nine (559) police officers from the province of Quebec constitue the sample. Three hundred and forty-one (341) of them sought psychological help following exposure to a potentially traumatic event. In relation to the analysis of the hypothesis, the independent sample t test technique is preferred. The results suggest that the mean level of well-being of participants who received psychological help, regardless of their nature, is not greater than that of those who did not seek psychological assistance as a result of a potentially traumatic event.