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

Area of Science:

• Mental Health Research
• Occupational Health
• Psychological Interventions

Background:

• Public safety personnel (PSP) face elevated risks for posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSI).
• The Before Operational Stress (BOS) program shows promise in mitigating PTSI among PSP.
• Comparing in-person versus virtual delivery of mental health programs is crucial for accessibility and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of in-person (Intensive) versus virtual (Classroom) delivery of the BOS program.
• To evaluate the impact of BOS on anxiety and emotional regulation in PSP.
• To determine if virtual delivery is a viable alternative to in-person delivery for PSP mental health.

Main Methods:

• Canadian PSP participated in either the Intensive or Classroom BOS program.
• Self-report surveys were administered at pre-program, post-program, 1-month, and 4-month follow-ups.
• Multilevel modeling was used to analyze changes in anxiety and emotional regulation.

Main Results:

• Both Intensive and Classroom BOS programs resulted in comparable reductions in anxiety and emotional regulation difficulties over time.
• No significant differences in outcomes were found between the in-person and virtual delivery modalities.
• Participants reported benefits associated with their respective delivery modalities.

Conclusions:

• Virtual delivery of the BOS program (Classroom) is an effective and accessible mental health training option for PSP.
• The effectiveness of the virtual BOS program is comparable to traditional in-person delivery.
• This study supports the scalability and accessibility of virtual mental health interventions for public safety personnel.