Evaluation of psychological debriefings

Abstract

This paper describes the impact of critical incidents and psychological debriefings on 172 emergency service, welfare and hospital personnel in Australia. Experience of trauma at work was found to reactivate prior trauma in one in two personnel. Psychological debriefing was reported to reduce stress symptoms in almost all personnel who reported stress response. The effectiveness of the debriefing was found to derive, in large part, from talking and in particular from talking with others who had experienced the same situation.