Police supervisory attributes that influence attitude towards Critical Incident Stress Management programs

This quantitative survey study explored relationships between a law enforcement supervisor's personal characteristics and the attitude a supervisor had towards the Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) program. The study solicited law enforcement supervisors (n = 6635) who were graduates of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Academy (FBINA). A modified survey instrument assisted in the collection of demographic data and the assessment of attitudes towards the CISM program. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics in the form of an analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test and a multiple regression analysis that used a backwards-stepwise format assisted in the examination of the collected data. The results indicated time away from the duties of a line-level patrol officer, investigator, or detective, and time in law enforcement shared a weak relationship with a supervisor's attitude towards the CISM program. More specifically, the longer the time span for each, the more positive the supervisor's attitude should be towards the program. Unfortunately, while these variables may have been deemed significant, the results are virtually meaningless since the model resulted in only two percent of the variance in attitude. Although the study's findings only indicated a weak link between a law enforcement supervisor's characteristics and the attitude a supervisor has towards the CISM program, it also showed supervisors within the study overwhelmingly supported the program. Knowing this support exists could still provide stress management program managers with invaluable insight, as processes are developed to mitigate critical incident stress in law enforcement.