Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder And Depression In Personnel Of Nigeria Police Force: Implications For Psychotherapy

Chioma Ihuoma Igboegwu

Abstract


Psychological disorders associated with combat operations among active duty military and police personnel have become one of the most serious issues compelling the increasing attention of scholars in traumatic stress studies, psychology, psychiatry, contemporary medicine, human development, military and police administrators. Most of the research investigation on this insidious mental health crisis has, however, been reported in military populations more than in police personnel. In addition, very few studies have examined the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in Nigeria and the role of combat deployment on the manifestation of PTSD symptoms among personnel of the Nigeria Police Force. The purpose of the current article is to summarize and discuss the current empirical research on the prevalence of PTSD and depression in personnel of Nigeria Police Force, using cohorts from Federal Capital Territory, Abuja (FCT-Abuja); Abia, Benue and Lagos states, Nigeria, who returned from counter terrorism, insurgency operations and other combat duties, and the impact of combat deployment on PTSD symptoms manifestation in the cohort. The article, also, highlights implications of the research findings for psychotherapy as well as recommends a holistic psychological model, the Three-Dimensional Psychological Intervention Strategy (3-DPIS) Model, integrating psychological science, art and culture in psychotherapy, to address the identified mental health crisis.

Full Text:

PDF

References


Adebayo, D. O. (1996). The relationship between job expectation, self esteem, perceived controllability and unemployment: Induced general depression. Issues in Health Psychology, 3 (2), 22-27

Al-Turkait, F. A., & Ohaeri, J. U. (2008). Psychopathological status, behavior problems, and family adjustment of Kuwaiti children whose fathers were involved in the first Gulf war. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health, 2(1), 12.

Ameh, A.S.1, Kazeem, O.T., Abdulkarim, I.B., & Olasupo. S. (2014). Post-traumatic stress disorder among Nigerian Military Personnel-Findings from post-deployment survey. Projournal of Humanities and Social Science, 2 (1), 56-6.

American Psychiatric Association (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, (5th ed.), Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.

Amnesty international (May, 2008). Nigeria: “Pragmatic policing” through extra-judicial executions and torture. AI Index: AFR 44/006/2008 Correlates and consequences of exposure to video game violence: hostile personality, empathy, and aggressive behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31(11), 1573-1586.

Antonucccio, David (1995). Psychotherapy for depression: No stronger medicine. American Psychologists Journal. 50(6):450-4522.

Breslau, N., Kessler, R. C., Chilcoat, H. D., Schultz, L. R., Davis, G. & Andreski P. (1998). Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in the community: The 1996 Detroit area survey of trauma. Archive of General Psychiatry. 55: 626–632.

Callanan & Rosenberger (2011). The Influence of Media on Penal Attitudes, Criminal Justice Review. 36: 4, 435-455

Chae, M., & Boyle, D. (2013). Police Suicide: Prevalence, Risk, and Protective Factors. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 36, 91-118.

Dietz, M. (2014). Explaining Combat Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: An Integrated Mental Illness and Military Process Model. Doctorate Degree Dissertation East Tennessee State (USA)

Ehlers, A. & Clark, D. M. (2000). A cognitive model of posttraumatic stress disorder. Behaviour Research and Therapy. 38, 319-345

International Journal for Psychotherapy in Africa (5:1)

Freud, S. (2001). Beyond the Pleasure Principle. The Standard Edition of the Complete Works of Sigmund Freud (Vol. XVIII). London: Vintage.

Foa, E.B., & Kozak, M.J. (1986). Emotional processing of fear: exposure to corrective information. Psychological Bulletin, 99, 20-35. Foa, E. B., & Rothbaum, B. O. (1998). Treating the trauma of rape: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD. New York: The Guilford Press. GAO (2006). VA Health Care: Spending for Mental Health Strategic Plan Initiatives was substantially less than planned. GAO-07-66 Washington, DC: GAO. Green, B.L., Saunders, P.A., Power, E., Dass-Brailsford, P., Bhat Schelbert, P., Giller, E., Wissow, L., Hurtado-de-Mendoza, A. & Mete, M. (2016). “Trauma-Informed Medical Care: Patient response to a primary care provider communication training.” Journal of Loss and Trauma. 21, 147-159.

Greene-Shortridge, T. M., Britt, T. W., and Castro, C. A. (2007). The stigma of mental health problems in the military. Military Medicine, 172 (2)157 Grohol, J. (2018). Depression Treatment: Psychotherapy, Medication or Both? Psych Central. Retrieved on April 17, 2020, from https://psychcentral.com/lib/depression-treatment-Psychotherapy-medication-or both

Heim, C. & Nemeroff, C. B. (2001). The role of childhood trauma in the neurobiology of mood and anxiety disorders: preclinical and clinical studies. Biological Psychiatry. 49(12):1023-

Hoge, C., Castro, C., Messer, S., McGurk, D., Cotting, D., & Koffman, R. (2004). Combat duty (s) in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care. New England Journal of Medicine, 351, 13-22.

Igboegwu, C. I. (2016). Adverse mental health impact of armed conflict in Africa. Unpublished paper presented at the Seminar held by the Department of Psychology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria

Javidi, H., &Yadollahie, M. (2012). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. The International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 3, 1.

Jessor, R., & Jessor, S. L. (1977). Problem Behaviour and Psychological Development Longitudinal Study of Youth. New York: Academic Press.

John G. S, David A. P. & John R. S. (1984). Post-Traumatic Stress: Study of Police Officers Involved in Shootings. Psychological Reports: 55(1): 127-131.

John, G. Stratton, David, A. Parker, John R. Snibbe (1984, August). Post-Traumatic Stress: Study of Police Officers Involved in Shootings. Psychological Report. 55(1),127. Jordan B.K., Marmar C.R., Fairbank J.A., Schlenger W.E., Kulka R.A., Hough R.L., Weiss D.S. (92) Problems in families of male Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 60(6), 916–926.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.