Features of Providing Psychological Assistance and Support to Police Officers – Combat Veteran Police Officers
Abstract
Abstract. This article examines the features of providing psychological assistance and support to police officers who participated in combat operations. The specifics of psychological trauma experienced by law enforcement officers in armed conflict conditions are theoretically substantiated, characterized by their dual professional identity as both police officers and military personnel. Analysis of current research identifies the main psychological consequences of police combat participation: increased emotional reactivity, anxiety, sleep disorders, and risk of developing post-traumatic stress disorder. The key categories of psychological trauma among combat veteran police officers are systematized: basic combat trauma (loss of comrades, trauma from using lethal force), medical trauma, and moral-ethical trauma. A two-stage approach to psychological support is proposed, including psychoeducation and structuring of traumatic experiences. The effectiveness of a comprehensive therapeutic approach combining cognitive-behavioral therapy, exposure techniques, and desensitization therapy is substantiated. The resource potential of law enforcement officers is outlined, encompassing spiritual-value, physical, motivational-purposeful, self-development, organizational-temporal, social-supportive, and regulatory components. The role of social support as a key protective resource against PTSD is defined, emphasizing the significance of emotional support. Special attention is paid to the importance of working with police officers' families and the role of leadership in creating an effective psychological support system. The article theoretically establishes that the effectiveness of psychological rehabilitation and reintegration of combat veteran police officers depends on a comprehensive approach combining professional psychotherapeutic assistance, administrative support, and the development of mutual support systems among police officers themselves.
Keywords: psychological assistance; combat veteran police officers; psychological trauma; psychological rehabilitation; post-traumatic stress disorder; social support; resource potential; reintegration.
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