The development and implementation of the Promoting Resilient Officers (PRO) Program.

Abstract

This article describes the rationale, developmental process, and content of a resilience-building program that has been implemented with new recruits to a police academy. The process of extensive consultation with the police service (consistent with community-based participatory research principles) has helped to provide a sustainable and pragmatic program framework. The Promoting Resilient Officers (PRO) program is a seven-session strength-based program that integrates CBT and interpersonal perspectives within a salutogenic paradigm. PRO also includes two "refresher" sessions delivered online up to 18 months post the initial face-to-face sessions. PRO was delivered with high fidelity as an integral part of police recruit training and made sustainable by using psychologists within the police service to deliver the intervention. Implementation incorporated a Randomized Controlled design by which a rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness is being conducted. Initial data presented indicates a high level of engagement and acceptability of the PRO program.

Stress, Coping, Alcohol Use, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among an International Sample of Police Officers: Does Gender Matter?

“…As a preventative measure, police departments need to promote adaptive coping behaviors to counter the negative, "drinking" subculture that still permeates some agencies (Lindsay & Shelley, 2009). Researchers have begun to develop and explore officer resiliency programs designed to teach officers better coping skills (Arnetz, Arbel, Backman, Lynch, & Lublin, 2013;Arnetz, Nevedal, Lumley, Backman, & Lublin, 2009;Berking, Meier, & Wupperman, 2010;Shochet et al, 2011). Although samples are small, existing research finds that officers who receive training to improve their coping skills (Arnetz et al, 2009(Arnetz et al, , 2013, including emotion-regulation skills (Berking et al, 2010), had better outcomes than their untrained counterparts.…”

On PAR: A feasibility study of the Promoting Adult Resilience programme with mental health nurses

“…), and has been successfully adapted for employees in the high‐risk occupation of the police service (Promoting Resilience Officer Program/PRO; Shochet et al . ).…”

“…To enhance the relevance for staff in mental health clinical settings, the seven weekly modules were combined into two full‐day workshops that included an additional PAR‐adapted component on post‐traumatic growth (drawing strength from adversity) from the PRO programme (Shochet et al . ).…”

“…Resilience is a process that can be strengthened through education and training. In the workplace, resilience education is a universal prevention strategy used to enhance individuals' subjective well-being and build their strengths, capacities, and resources (Shochet et al 2011). Systematic review findings of workplace resilience programmes reveal that education can improve individuals' resilience and mental health and well-being, and their work performance (Robertson et al 2015).…”

Derailed Organizational Interventions for Stress and Well-Being

“…9. Both individuals and organizations are also generally more motivated to work towards increasing positive work experiences, rather than detecting and dealing with problems (e.g., Shochet et al 2011 ;Timms et al 2012 ). Biggs ( 2011 ) described project fatigue occurring when "a lack of acceptance of new initiatives is cultivated by previous exposure to interventions that fail to provide anticipated benefi ts or produce evidence of outcomes" (Saksvik et al 2002 , p. 311).…”