Do Empathy and Psychological Mindedness Affect Police Officers' Decision to Enter Crisis Intervention Team Training?
Do Empathy and Psychological Mindedness Affect Police Officers' Decision to Enter Crisis Intervention Team Training?
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DOI：
10.1176/ps.62.6.pss6206_0632
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发表时间：
2011-06-01
影响因子：
3.8
通讯作者：
Stewart-Hutto, Tarianna
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Compton, Michael T.;Broussard, Beth;Stewart-Hutto, Tarianna
目的：警察自愿选择参加为期一周的专门危机干预小组培训通常被认为是作为危机干预小组官员成功的关键因素。然而，关于自我选择的问题还没有得到实证检验。调查人员假设，进入CIT培训的人员，特别是那些选择参加培训的人员，将有更高的可能性接触和体验心理健康问题和心理健康专业人员，以及更大的同情心和心理意识。研究方法：共有177名人员，包括109名非CIT培训人员，24名人员分配到CIT培训，44名人员谁自愿参加CIT培训，在为期一周的课程之前和之后进行评估（非CIT人员参加其他课程）。基本的社会人口学特征进行了评估，和四个心理测量的同情和心理的健全措施进行管理。官员的地位和社会人口变量之间的关联，过去的接触和精神疾病问题的经验，同情心和心理意识进行了检查。结果如下：这三组没有不同的四个曝光和经验变量的三个，但是，自我选择的CIT人员更有可能有以前接触到心理健康问题和专业人士。在同理心或心理关怀方面，三组之间没有发现差异。在为期一周的CIT培训后，一项共情指标显著增加。结论：研究结果并不支持这一假设，即人员自我选择到CIT培训将有更大的基线同情和心理的。虽然可能有其他合理的理由来证明志愿服务的重要性，但这两个特点似乎并没有在自愿选择进入CIT的人员中表现得更好。（精神病学服务62：632-638，2011）
Objective: Police officers' voluntary choice to participate in specialized, week-long crisis intervention team (CIT) training is generally assumed to be a critical factor in success as a CIT officer. However, issues about self-selection have not been empirically examined. The investigators hypothesized that officers entering CIT training, especially those electing to take it, would have a higher likelihood of exposure to and experience with mental health issues and mental health professionals and greater empathy and psychological mindedness. Methods: A total of 177 officers-including 109 non-CIT-trained officers, 24 officers assigned to CIT training, and 44 officers who volunteered for CIT training-were assessed before and after their week-long classes (non-CIT officers were enrolled in other courses). Basic sociodemographic characteristics were assessed, and four psychometrically sound measures of empathy and psychological mindedness were administered. Associations between officer status and sociodemographic variables, past exposure to and experience with mental illness issues, and empathy and psychological mindedness were examined. Results: The three groups did not differ on three of four exposure and experience variables; however, self-selected CIT officers were more likely to have prior exposure to mental health issues and professionals. No differences were found between the three groups on measures of empathy or psychological mindedness. One measure of empathy increased significantly after the weeklong CIT training. Conclusions: Findings did not support the hypothesis that officers self-selecting into CIT training would have greater baseline empathy and psychological mindedness. Although there may be other justifiable reasons to argue for the importance of volunteering, these two traits did not appear to be greater among officers self-selecting into CIT. (Psychiatric Services 62: 632-638, 2011)