Abstract:

The problem. The field of psychology has devoted much time and many resources on interventions to mitigate the effects of trauma and onset of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The purpose of the present study was to critically review the research literature produced since 2001 regarding the efficacy of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), one intervention developed to avoid the onset or lessen the severity of PTSD after a traumatic event.

Method. A critical review of the research literature was conducted to investigate the efficacy of CISD. The present study critiqued the research literature using 5 variables: study design, who delivered the intervention, who were the subjects of the intervention, the outcome measures, and the study outcomes.

Results. The results of the present study indicated that CISD was ineffective in most instances in which it was applied. The research showed that when applied to secondary victims of trauma who are members of a cohesive organization or unit, such as a police or fire department or military unit, the intervention is more likely to be effective than if it is applied to primary victims of trauma who are relative strangers. Furthermore, the intervention is potentially harmful to high-risk individuals who are obliged to attend a treatment session and/or are not prepared to be re-exposed to the traumatic event. Treatment recommendations included a treatment response to traumatic events and treatment cautions. Recommendations for future research were for tightly controlled, longitudinal studies that follow strict adherence to the treatment protocol.