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Critical incident stress debriefing: implications for best practice
Ann M Mitchell1, Teresa J Sakraida, Kirstyn Kameg
1University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. ammi@pitt.edu
Summary
Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) aims to help individuals manage stress after traumatic events. However, research on its effectiveness yields mixed results, necessitating a review for evidence-based practice.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Critical incidents cause significant emotional distress, ranging from normal stress reactions to post-traumatic stress disorders.
- Critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) has been a widely used intervention since 1983.
- CISD is part of a broader Critical Incident Stress Management framework.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review meta-analyses of research studies on CISD.
- To identify the methods, results, strengths, and weaknesses of existing CISD research.
- To inform evidence-based practice in managing critical incident stress.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of meta-analyses.
- Analysis of research methodologies and findings.
- Evaluation of study strengths and weaknesses.
Main Results:
- Research findings on the effectiveness of CISD are mixed.
- Identified variability in study designs and outcomes.
- Weaknesses in current research limit definitive conclusions.
Conclusions:
- The effectiveness of CISD requires further rigorous investigation.
- Evidence-based practice guidelines for CISD are not yet firmly established.
- Future research should address identified methodological limitations.