Pre-deployment stress briefing: Does it have an effect?

Abstract

Background: The role of giving information about stress and stress reactions to people about to be exposed to hazardous situations remains unclear. Such information might improve coping and hence resilience. Alternatively, it might increase the expectancy of experiencing adverse psychological consequences following exposure to a hazard. Aim: To determine the effect of a pre-operational stress briefing on health and occupational indices among Naval and Marine personnel who were subsequently deployed to the 2003 Iraq War. Method: Controlled, non-randomized, parallel group study. Mental health outcomes post-deployment were compared between those who received a pre-operational stress briefing and those who did not receive such a briefing. Results: Stress briefing attendees were slightly younger, more likely to be marines and to have been exposed to traumatic events than non-attendees. There were no significant differences between the two groups for the health outcomes of common mental health disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder or alcohol misuse. Attendees reported higher morale/cohesion but these differences disappeared following adjustment for demographic and military factors. No differences between the two groups were apparent for experiencing problems during or post-deployment or for marital satisfaction. Conclusions: We found no evidence that a pre-deployment stress briefing reduced subsequent medium-term psychological distress. On the other hand, we found no evidence of harm either. While only a randomized trial can give genuinely unbiased results, at present stress debriefing must be regarded as an unproven intervention, and it remains a matter of judgement as to whether or not it is indicated. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved.