How Does Trauma Exposure Affect PTSD in Police Officers?

What you need to know

• Police officers experience high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD due to frequent exposure to traumatic events
• Complex PTSD was more common than PTSD in police officers, affecting 12.6% compared to 8% for PTSD
• Certain types of trauma exposure, including repeated exposure to traumatic visual materials, increased risk for both PTSD and complex PTSD
• Male officers, those with more years of service, and those of lower rank were at higher risk for complex PTSD

Understanding PTSD and Complex PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares
• Avoiding reminders of the trauma
• Feeling on edge or easily startled
• Negative changes in thoughts and mood

Complex PTSD is a related but distinct condition that can occur after repeated or prolonged exposure to trauma. In addition to the core PTSD symptoms, complex PTSD also involves:

• Difficulty regulating emotions
• Negative self-perception
• Problems with relationships

Police officers are at high risk for both PTSD and complex PTSD due to frequent exposure to traumatic events as part of their job duties. This study aimed to better understand the prevalence of these conditions among UK police officers and what factors increase risk.

High Rates of PTSD and Complex PTSD

The researchers surveyed over 12,000 UK police officers about their exposure to traumatic events and assessed them for symptoms of PTSD and complex PTSD. They found surprisingly high rates of these conditions:

• 8% of officers met criteria for PTSD
• 12.6% met criteria for complex PTSD
• In total, 20.6% of officers had either PTSD or complex PTSD

This is much higher than rates seen in the general population. For comparison, previous studies have found rates of 3-4% for PTSD and 0.5-3.5% for complex PTSD in the general public.

The fact that complex PTSD was more common than PTSD aligns with the theory that repeated trauma exposure, which is common in policing, increases risk for the more severe complex PTSD.

Types of Trauma Exposure That Increased Risk

The study looked at various types of potentially traumatic experiences police officers encounter on the job. Several were associated with higher rates of both PTSD and complex PTSD:

• Frequent exposure to traumatic incidents (e.g. fatalities, serious injuries)
• Frequent exposure to traumatic visual materials (e.g. graphic crime scene photos)
• Experiencing humiliating behaviors from others
• Experiencing sexual harassment

Interestingly, some types of experiences that may seem traumatic, like verbal abuse or physical violence, did not independently increase risk when accounting for other factors. The researchers suggest this could be because officers view these as an expected part of the job.

The finding that exposure to traumatic visual materials increases PTSD risk is particularly noteworthy. This validates recent changes to the diagnostic criteria for PTSD that recognize indirect exposure through images/videos can be traumatic when it’s repeated and work-related, as is often the case for police.

Risk Factors for Complex PTSD

While PTSD and complex PTSD shared many risk factors, a few variables were uniquely associated with higher rates of complex PTSD:

• More years of service as a police officer
• Lower rank (constables at highest risk)
• Male gender

This supports the idea that complex PTSD develops through accumulation of trauma over time. The longer an officer serves and the more traumatic exposures they experience, the higher their risk becomes for developing the more severe complex PTSD.

The finding that male officers were at higher risk contradicts some previous research showing women at greater risk for PTSD in the general population. The researchers suggest this could be due to differences in the types of traumatic exposures male and female officers experience on the job.

Implications for Police Mental Health

These results highlight the substantial mental health burden experienced by police officers due to work-related trauma exposure. The high rates of PTSD and especially complex PTSD indicate a need for enhanced mental health services and support for officers.

Some key implications include:

• Screening officers regularly for symptoms of PTSD and complex PTSD
• Providing education on signs/symptoms to watch for
• Ensuring access to evidence-based treatments like trauma-focused therapy
• Considering ways to limit unnecessary exposure to traumatic materials
• Providing extra support for officers with many years of service
• Targeting interventions to higher-risk groups like male officers and those of lower rank

The researchers emphasize that complex PTSD often requires more intensive, longer-term treatment compared to PTSD. Police forces should be prepared to provide or facilitate access to appropriate care.

Conclusions

• PTSD and complex PTSD are very common among police officers, affecting over 20% in this study
• Complex PTSD was more prevalent, likely due to repeated trauma exposure over time
• Certain types of experiences, like viewing traumatic images/videos, increase risk
• Male gender, more years of service, and lower rank are associated with higher rates of complex PTSD
• Enhanced mental health services are needed to address the substantial burden of trauma-related disorders in police

This research sheds important light on the mental health challenges faced by police officers due to work-related trauma exposure. Better understanding these issues is a crucial step toward providing appropriate support and interventions to protect officers’ wellbeing.