Exploring early post-trauma interventions for employees that experience trauma at work

Patton, Lauren (2022). Exploring early post-trauma interventions for employees that experience trauma at work. University of Birmingham. Clin.Psy.D.

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Abstract

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EARLY POST-TRAUMA INTERVENTIONS ON EMPLOYEES’ PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AFTER EXPERIENCING TRAUMA AT WORK

Aim
Research into the effectiveness of early post-trauma interventions for people who experience trauma at work remains limited and unclear. Organisations appeared left in a dilemma of supporting employees’ exposed to trauma with little empirically supported guidance on the provision of early post-trauma interventions. The current meta-analysis, therefore, aimed to examine the effectiveness of these interventions on employees’ psychological distress after exposure to trauma.

Method
Study eligibility criteria involved studies that examined employees’ who experienced a traumatic event at work and consequently received an early-post trauma intervention within the organisation. The outcomes measured constructs related to psychological distress. Participants included employees within the military, emergency response services, police and prison services, and retail. Twenty articles were included in the analysis. A Risk of Bias Assessment frame was applied to assess the studies’ methodological quality.

Results
The early post-trauma interventions significantly improved employees’ outcomes of depression (SMD = 0.1860, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.34) and anxiety (SMD = 0.28, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.44) compared to no intervention. There were no significant results for the interventions’ effect on substance misuse (SMD = -0.1103, 95% CI -0.27 to 0.05), or general psychological health (SMD = 0.05, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.20). The quality effects model suggested that the methodological quality of the primary studies did not adversely impact the meta-analysis.

Conclusion
This meta-analysis added to increasing empirical support for early post-trauma interventions for people experiencing trauma at work. However, this support should be interpreted with caution due to the limitations and inconsistency of the research available.

MENTAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS’ EXPERIENCE OF TRAUMA RISK MANAGEMENT

Aim
Organisations, like the NHS currently employ immediate post-trauma interventions such as Trauma Risk Management (TRiM) that want for empirical support. The limited research into people’s experiences of early post-trauma interventions after experiencing a trauma at work highlight discrepancies between objective measures and subjective reports, advocating the use of qualitative analysis. The current research aimed to develop better understanding into mental health practitioners’ experience of TRiM within a mental health service.

Method
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six mental health practitioners who had attended TRiM, after experiencing a trauma at work within 12 months of their experience of TRiM. Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with focus on participants’ personal meaning and sense-making in their experience of TRiM.

Findings
Two superordinate themes were identified. The first superordinate theme ‘The Aftermath of the Trauma’ detailed participants experiences of the magnitude of the traumatic incident. The second superordinate theme ‘Re-visiting the Trauma’ described participants’ experiences within talking about the trauma.

Conclusion
The findings suggested that mental health practitioners experienced significant trauma reactions after traumatic incidents without disclosing this distress. Practitioners’ valued acknowledgement and appreciation of their role in the traumatic event, and some grew from the trauma. Making sense of the trauma during the TRiM process appeared to help practitioners organise the trauma memory and create new perspectives, lessoning their shame and guilt related to the trauma. Practitioners described a peer-delivered intervention facilitated sharing their experiences, however, for some this familiarity left them unable to disclose the extent of their distress.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.

Supervisor(s):