Die polisiebeampte se belewenis van trauma en trauma-intervensieprogramme

M.A.Despite the fact that the helping professions in the SAPS make use of a multi-professional team approach to provide a service with regards to trauma intervention, statistics confirm that there is still a high occurrence of stress-related problems amongst police officials'. The aim of this study is to explore and describe the police officials' experience of trauma and the trauma intervention programmes in the SAPS, in order to create guidelines and to make certain recommendations with regard to client-focussed programmes for police officials' attached to the high-risk units in the Eastern Cape. The aims of this study were best realised by the exploratory and descriptive goals of fundamental research as expounded by de Vos et al. (1998). The exploratory and descriptive goal ofthe problem is best achieved by combining the qualitative and quantitative approaches to research, as proposed by Cresswell (1994). For the purposes of this study, the researcher has first made use of a qualitative approach to research. The population with regards to this phase of the study consisted of the police officials' attached to the high risk units in Port Elizabeth. The researcher made use of the purposive sampling method in order to select the participants of the focus group. A semi-structured interview schedule, consisting of four pre-designed questions, was employed in order to obtain maximum information on the subject. The four questions are as follows: experience of trauma, impact on and reaction to trauma, coping with trauma and the experience of trauma intervention programmes. The themes arising from the findings are divided into eleven categories including the classification of their respective sub-categories. The categories are as follows: 1) the concept trauma, 2) traumatic incidents, 3) trauma reinforcers, 4) post traumatic events, 5) post traumatic stress disorder, 6) social support, 7) avoidance/denial, 8) problem-focussed coping, 9) consumer orientation, 1 0) consumer satisfaction and 11) a core marketing strategy. A quantitative approach was used during the second phase of the study, whereby the themes that resulted from the findings of the focus group interview, were distributed amongst the police officials' representing the high risk units in the Eastern Cape. The latter was done in order to explore the extent of the items arising from the focus group in the population. For the purposes of the second phase of the study, the researcher employed the simple random sampling method, whereby 10% of the population was selected. The researcher made use of the group administered method whereby respondents were involved in a group and were thereby provided with an opportunity to complete the questionnaire. The social workers responsible for the high risk units in the various areas in the Eastern Cape were trained as field workers in order to facilitate the completion of the questionnaire by means of the group administered method. The following conclusions were drawn from the findings. Firstly, it is concluded that the police officials' attached to the high risk units in the Eastern Cape are exposed to a variety of traumatic incidents. The latter vary with regards to occurrence and intensity. The nature, frequency and intensity of the incident have an influence on the extent to which police officials' experience these incidents as traumatic, and this also influences the cumulative impact thereof on the individual. The internal and external stress factors which police officials' are exposed to on a daily basis in the carrying out of their duties, also plays an important role in the extent to which police officials' are capable of coping with trauma. In some cases it is experienced so intensely that it leads to a traumatic reaction by some police officials'. Secondly, it is concluded that police officials' generally react differently, depending on their exposure to trauma. These reactions are generally similar to the symptoms of post-traumatic stress and post traumatic stress disorder. Thirdly, the conclusion is reached that police officials' reveal different coping styles. These vary with specific reference to social support, avoidance/denial and problem focussed coping mechanisms. Lastly, it is concluded that the trauma intervention programmes are not consumer orientated as a thorough needs assessment is not done and police officials' individual needs, expectations, perceptions and preferences are not taken into consideration most of the time. Police officials' are also greatly dissatisfied with the programmes because the elements of the marketing strategy, with specific reference to product, place, cost and promotion as expounded by Terblanche (1993), do not live up to their expectations and perceptions of the programme. Finally, the findings were compared with each other, whereafter certain conclusions were reached and a number of recommendations were made