Individuals who were exposed to the event can talk about their experiences and feelings in a safe environment. The goal of this process is to provide peer and professional support immediately following an incident, which may reduce the risk of developing trauma symptoms or other mental health issues. Licensed mental health professionals with training in Critical Incident Stress Debriefing to facilitate groups immediately following a stressful or traumatic incident. Groups can have multiple facilitators if there is a high number of participants.
CISD Requirements
It is required that all group members have experienced the same stressful event and must be rested and emotionally regulated enough to participate in a group. Critical Incident Stress Debriefing is intended for use as one of many resources offered to people who have experienced a stressful or traumatic event.
History of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell developed CISD in 1974 as a way to offer support to people who experience highly stressful events in their jobs. Dr. Mitchell developed this intervention with inspiration from his work as a paramedic and firefighter, but this technique can be used for any group who has experienced a traumatic event, such as a shooting, natural disaster, or work-related crises.
Phases of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
Although the process is flexible and can be tweaked based on the needs of the group, CISD is generally structured in seven phases or steps. These steps are:
Preventing Trauma Symptoms From Appearing Later
One goal of the group is to work through emotions participants are experiencing in the aftermath of the event while simultaneously arming them with skills to move forward and prevent trauma symptoms from emerging later on.
When to Use Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
CISD is intended for use immediately (within 24 to 48 hours) after the incident occurred. Its purpose is to provide support and resources to people who experienced a traumatic event as soon as possible. However, for CISD to be effective, participants need to be well-rested and in an emotionally stable headspace. If someone is still in a state of traumatic shock, they are not ready to participate in CISD. After a stressful or traumatic incident has occurred, individuals should receive any necessary medical attention as well as any appropriate individual crisis intervention and support. If needed, they can sleep or rest. Once they are ready, they can participate in CISD.
Effectiveness of Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
CISD is intended to be used as one of many resources and supports for people who have experienced trauma. As such, it is difficult to research the specific impact of CISD as other variables are typically present in addition to the group. However, studies have been conducted to measure the effectiveness of CISD.
CISD Reduces Burnout and Trauma Symptoms
A review of 15 studies showed that non-mandatory CISD improved coping and reduced trauma symptoms in healthcare workers in emergency settings. It has also been shown to reduce burnout and compassion fatigue while reducing employee turnover in healthcare settings. Additionally, CISD can improve both physical and mental health outcomes for military personnel. When implemented at the appropriate time and with qualified, trained facilitators, CISD can be an important resource for groups who have experienced a traumatic event.
