Psychological Debriefing

Q. What exactly is Psychological Debriefing?

A Psychological Debriefing is a structured group meeting in which participants review the traumatic event they have experienced and their reactions to it. There are various models. It has several phases e.g. Hodgkinson & Stewart, 1998:

• Introduction
• Narrative phase
• Reaction phase
• Education phase

The aims of Psychological Debriefing include:

• Promoting cognitive organization
• Decreasing the sense of uniqueness
• Mobilisation of group resources
• Preparation for reactions which may arise
• Reduction of unnecessary side effects
• Identification of further avenues of help

Q. I’ve heard that Psychological Debriefing doesn’t work, and may even harm people?

A. There have been reports that one-off sessions focusing on reliving the event and stimulating emotion either do not help people or make them worse. This is not surprising. Firstly, Psychological Debriefing was never meant to be used as a one-off, and secondly it was not meant to involve re-living the event and its emotion. These reports therefore focus on something that no sensible clinician would do. On the other hand there is evidence that when debriefing-like activities are used as part of a series of interventions, they do indeed help people.

Q. What series of interventions?

A. The idea that a series of interventions is likely to be more helpful is good common sense. Those leading the sessions are able to see how participants are doing over time, and direct extra help to those who require it. This is what has been referred to as CISM – Critical Incident Stress Management. An example of this is The Centre for Crisis Psychology’s Trauma Care Programme.