The Impact of Mindfulness-Based Resilience Training on Stress-Related Biological, Behavioral, and Health-Related Outcomes in Law Enforcement Officers

Abstract

Main project page for National Institute of Justice-funded project (#2017-R2-CX-0033, PI Grupe) ABSTRACT STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: The many stressors of police work – acute critical incidents, chronic organizational stressors, and heightened public scrutiny and criticism – can have an erosive effect on the health and well-being of officers, with consequences for the well-being of the entire community. While many officers exhibit extreme resilience, this group is at elevated risk of developing sleep disorders, cardiovascular disease, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Police departments lack access to scientifically validated preventative programs to buffer against the effects of chronic stress. SUBJECTS: 120 police officers from three Dane County, WI agencies. PARTNERSHIP: Collaboration between the UW-Madison Center for Healthy Minds, Madison Police Department, Dane County Sheriff's Office, and UW-Madison Police Department. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We will investigate a novel, 8-week training program designed for law enforcement, Madison Mindfulness-Based Resilience Training (mMBRT), which provides officers with tools and practices to enhance stress resilience. In each of 2 years of data collection, we will randomize 60 officers to mMBRT or wait-list control (WLC) groups (the WLC group will receive training at the end of each year). Before and after the training program, and at a 4-month follow-up, we will assess the impact of mMBRT on reducing perceived stress (AIM 1); improving physical and mental health outcomes (AIM 2), including behaviorally assessed and self-reported sleep quality, cardiovascular risk factors, and symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression; and positively affecting hypothesized biological and behavioral correlates of perceived stress (AIM 3). These assessments will include a week of field data collection to study the real-world impact of occupational stressors, and of mMBRT, on outcomes of interest. ANALYSIS: We will compare mMBRT and WLC groups on outcome measures at post-training and 4-month follow-up, using baseline scores as covariates, and investigate whether time engaged in practice outside of class acts as a moderator on these outcomes. We will examine baseline relationships between trauma exposure, perceived stress, health outcomes, cortisol and other biomarkers, and behavioral assessments, as well as training-related changes in these relationships. PRODUCTS, REPORTS, AND DATA ARCHIVING: The demonstration of scientifically rigorous and objective evidence for the benefits of mMBRT will motivate other departments to explore this program's potential to promote officer resilience and reduce the impact of stress. Products and reports from this study will include articles in high-impact scholarly journals; presentations at psychiatry, criminal justice, and law enforcement conferences; NIJ briefs; and non-scientific articles targeted toward police departments and the broader community