A Survey of Professionals' Training and Experiences in Delivering Death Notifications

Stewart, Alan E.; Lord, Janice Harris; Mercer, Dorothy L.

doi:10.1080/07481180050132811

Cited by 41 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 14 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The second objective was to examine the effects of police behavior on mental health (prolonged grief, depression, PTSD) of the bereaved. The present study partially replicates previous findings by showing effects of perceived negative behaviors of police officers on the outcomes mentioned above (Baumann & Stark, 2015;Parris, 2011;Roe, 2012;Stewart et al, 2000).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

See 1 more Smart Citation

The Impact of Police Behavior During Death Notifications on Mental Health of the Bereaved: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hofmann

Glaesmer

Przyrembel³

et al. 2021

Omega (Westport)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The delivery of death notifications may affect the mental health of bereaved individuals. Police officers are often the first people with whom the bereaved have contact in this exceptional situation. Therefore, it is essential to assess the behavior of police officers and the impact on the bereaved. We examined the experiences of 86 individuals who received the notification through the police and assessed symptoms of prolonged grief, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. The interaction with police was associated with posttraumatic avoidance behavior and the presence of another supporting person was associated with higher scores of depression. Handing out information material and staying with the bereaved was related to a positive evaluation of police behavior. It appears important to identify helpful and problematic behavior for a better understanding and for an adaptation of existing guidelines.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

“…Beside these findings, Stewart et al (2000) showed that the person delivering the death notification is often insecure about dealing with these reactions and, therefore, cannot provide adequate support. As a result, bereaved relatives often feel left alone in a situation that already seems unbearable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Police Behavior During Death Notifications on Mental Health of the Bereaved: A Cross-Sectional Study

Hofmann

Glaesmer

Przyrembel³

et al. 2021

Omega (Westport)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A total of 19 studies ( Table 2 ) described the notification process, taking into account both perspectives. From the notifier's point of view, the notification process is mostly judged as difficult and stressful (Adamowski et al, 1993 ; Stewart et al, 2000 ; Janzen et al, 2003-2004 ; Hart and DeBernardo, 2004 ; Douglas et al, 2012 ; Williams-Reade et al, 2018 ). The reactions most commonly described by the notifier are: anxiety, guilt, sadness, identification with the target, discomfort, avoidance, anguish, frustration, isolation, insomnia, lowering of mood, recurrent nightmares, feelings of helplessness, substance abuse, marital conflict, PTSD, chronic stress response syndrome, and professional burnout (Spencer et al, 1987 ; Veilleux and Bilsky, 2016 ; Tuffrey-Wijne and Rose, 2017 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Notification of Unexpected, Violent and Traumatic Death: A Systematic Review

Leo

Zammarrelli²,

Giannotti³

et al. 2020

Front. Psychol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The way the death of a person is communicated can have a profound impact on the bereavement process. The words and expressions that are used to give the tragic news, the characteristics of who communicates it, the physical setting in which the notification is given, the means used (e.g., in person, via phone call, etc.) are just some of the factors that can influence the way survivors face one of the most difficult moments in their lives. Aim: To review the literature on the topic of death notification to verify the state of the art related to this important procedure. Methods: A systematic review was conducted with PRISMA criteria on English-written materials produced from 1966 to 2019. Results: Out of the initial 3,166 titles considered, 60 articles were extracted for this review. A content analysis has revealed four main areas of interest: (1) protocols and guidelines; (2) emotional reactions of recipients and notifiers; (3) professional figures involved in the notification process; and, (4) types of death. Discussion: The communication of death represents a complex and stressful experience not only for those who receive it but also for those who give it. Alongside the acquisition of a necessary technique and execution methods, the process should involve the selection of notifiers based on personality characteristics and communication styles. Conclusion: Indications for the need of better training and protocols sensitive to different circumstances emerge. Adequate preparation can positively influence the quality of communication and the effects it produces, both on recipients and notifiers. In vocational training, more space should be devoted to this demanding task.

show abstract

“…Delivering death notifications is one of the most disliked tasks in the police profession, which many police officers would rather avoid. Delivering a death notification can have a lasting impact not only on the bereaved relatives, but also on the persons delivering the message, such as the police officers (24)(25)(26). Studies have shown that in the aftermath the persons delivering the messages often suffer from sadness, insomnia, feelings of helplessness, fear, and guilt (27).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Evaluation of a Suicide Prevention E-Learning Program for Police Officers (COPS): Improvement in Knowledge and Competence

Hofmann

Glaesmer

Przyrembel³

et al. 2021

Front. Psychiatry

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Police officers are at high risk for mental and physical health problems and suicidal ideation. The specific risk factors are numerous and concern stressful missions and administrative aspects of the police profession. So far, the police get only little training on specific missions as well as on coping with stress and suicidal ideation in the police profession. In this study we test the efficacy of the online training COPS (Coping with Suicide) for police officers.Methods: A total of 142 police officers from Germany and Switzerland participated in the study; complete data (baseline and post) are available from 102 participants. The training consisted of three modules covering the topics of delivering death notifications, dealing with individuals with suicidal ideation and dealing with one's own distress and suicidal ideation in the police profession. The primary outcomes are perceived knowledge and self-rated competence regarding the contents of the program, actual knowledge as well as symptoms of depression and anxiety (PHQ-9), and attitudes toward suicide (ATTS). The data are collected at baseline and after completing the training.Results: We found a significant increase in knowledge as well as in perceived competence after completing the training. Mental health and attitudes toward suicide did not change significantly. Years on the job had no moderating effect on the effectiveness of the training.Discussion: The results suggest that a short e-learning program significantly improves knowledge and self-rated competence in delivering death notifications, in suicide prevention and stress management. It can be easily integrated into the daily routine of police-officers, and participants could participate at their own pace and from any location. One limitation of this study is the lack of a control-group. Further advantages and limitations of this study are discussed.Clinical Trial Registration:https://www.drks.de/drks_web/, identifier: DRKS00023882.

show abstract

A Survey of Professionals' Training and Experiences in Delivering Death Notifications

Cited by 41 publications

References 14 publications

The Impact of Police Behavior During Death Notifications on Mental Health of the Bereaved: A Cross-Sectional Study

The Impact of Police Behavior During Death Notifications on Mental Health of the Bereaved: A Cross-Sectional Study

Notification of Unexpected, Violent and Traumatic Death: A Systematic Review

An Evaluation of a Suicide Prevention E-Learning Program for Police Officers (COPS): Improvement in Knowledge and Competence

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About