Evaluating the before operational stress program: comparing in-person and virtual delivery

Gabriela Ioachim; Nicole Bolt; Michelle Redekop; Andrew Wakefield; Andrii Shulhin; Jilani Dabhoya; Juliana M B Khoury; Kathy Bélanger; Sarah Williams; Tessa Chomistek; Taylor A Teckchandani; Jill A B Price; Kirby Q Maguire; R Nicholas Carleton

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382614

Evaluating the before operational stress program: comparing in-person and virtual delivery

Front Psychol. 2024 Jul 25:15:1382614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1382614. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Gabriela Ioachim¹, Nicole Bolt¹, Michelle Redekop¹, Andrew Wakefield¹, Andrii Shulhin¹, Jilani Dabhoya¹, Juliana M B Khoury^{1

2}, Kathy Bélanger¹, Sarah Williams¹, Tessa Chomistek^{1

3}, Taylor A Teckchandani¹, Jill A B Price¹, Kirby Q Maguire¹, R Nicholas Carleton^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Canadian Institute for Public Safety Research and Treatment-Institut Canadien de recherche et de traitement en sécurité publique (CIPSRT-ICRTSP), University of Regina/Université de Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
² Anxiety and Illness Behaviours Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
³ Wayfound Mental Health Group Inc, Calgary, AB, Canada.

Abstract

Introduction: Public safety personnel (PSP) are at increased risk for posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI). Before Operational Stress (BOS) is a mental health program for PSP with preliminary support mitigating PTSI. The current study compared the effectiveness of delivering BOS in-person by a registered clinician (i.e., Intensive) to virtually delivery by a trained clinician (i.e., Classroom).

Methods: Canadian PSP completed the Intensive (n = 118; 61.9% male) or Classroom (n = 149; 50.3% male) program, with self-report surveys at pre-, post-, 1 month, and 4 months follow-ups.

Results: Multilevel modelling evidenced comparable reductions in anxiety (p < 0.05, ES = 0.21) and emotional regulation difficulties (ps < 0.05, ESs = 0.20, 0.25) over time with no significant difference between modalities. Participants discussed benefits of the delivery modality they received.

Discussion: The results support virtual delivery of the BOS program (Classroom) as an accessible mental health training option for PSP, producing effects comparable to in-person delivery by clinicians.

Keywords: before operational stress; emotional regulation; healthcare workers; mental health training; public safety personnel; resiliency; stigma; virtual training.

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This study has received funding from Wounded Warriors Canada to support program evaluation research, and from the Public Health Agency of Canada to support analysis and publication.