Functional disconnection and reconnection: an alternative strategy to stoicism in public safety personnel

Abstract

Background: North American public safety personnel (PSP; e.g., police, firefighters, paramedics) training programmes often focus on the importance of controlling emotional reactions (i.e. remaining stoic) to make sound decisions in high-stress environments. Many PSP carry avoidant coping strategies into their personal lives, however, resulting in disrupted relationships and deterioration of well-being. Objective: We argue for an alternative perspective, functional disconnection and functional reconnection (FD/FR), that limits stoicism and avoidant coping in PSP work environments. FD/FR instead suggests that PSP can receive support and training focused on intentional and cognizant changes of the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of their occupational roles; the same intention should be given to supporting reconnection when reintegrating into personal roles following the workday. Conclusion: FD/FR strategies can be incorporated into clinical treatment, existing training programmes and embraced by organizational leadership to facilitate a necessary shift towards prioritizing PSP well-being.

Evaluation of Before Operational Stress: A Program to Support Mental Health and Proactive Psychological Protection in Public Safety Personnel

“…Fourth, BOS introduces functional disconnection and functional reconnection (FD/FR;McElheran and Stelnicki, 2021). There is an argument that effective physicians enter an "action mode, " setting aside emotional reactions and focusing on following protocol to prevent a patient's death (Whitehead, 2014, p. 273).…”

FD/FR family: Functional disconnection and reconnection in public safety personnel families

“…Features of Stoic philosophy which appear to have significantly appealed to those engaged in military and PSP occupations include: the Dichotomy of Control (i.e., recommending a focus on that which is within an individual's sphere of influence versus those things that are external); Amor Fati, which directly translated means to "love your fate"; and, the Simplicity of Lifestyle, whereby the Stoics espoused a minimalist approach to life and the avoidance of luxuries (Sellars, 2006;Sherman, 2007). For those working in occupations which often require tolerance of hardship, the suggestion by the Stoic philosophers that virtue and a valued life could be achieved through adherence to these principles likely influenced its adoption in military and PSP cultures (McElheran & Stelnicki, 2021).…”

“…Within my work as a clinician and trainer in contemporary PSP organizations, I (MM) have observed that the ancient Stoic traditions often manifest in the organizational encouragement of PSP members developing and maintaining mastery over thoughts, feelings, and attitudes, particularly within chaotic or stressful circumstances (McElheran & Stelnicki, 2021). Some PSP training programs tend to emphasize repetitive engagement in contrived critical incident circumstances to enhance recruits' ability to maintain calm in the face of highly stressful circumstances (Atkins & Norris, 2011).…”

“…Overall, Stoicism offers a comprehensive framework for cultivating inner strength and tranquility in the face of life's uncertainties. However, McElheran and Stelnicki (2021) argue that the contemporary understanding and application of Stoic philosophy within public safety organizations has been flawed, specifically regarding the over‐reliance on emotional coping mechanisms such as suppression and minimization. Moreover, we argue that this misapplication of Stoic principles can extend outside of PSP organizations to include PSP families and spouses (Schwartz et al, 2023).…”

Putative risk and resiliency factors among Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets

“…Shell Shock and hysteria were recognized as legitimate diagnoses resulting from exposure to war but soldiers with such conditions were considered inherently psychologically weak persons who would have still experienced mental health challenges had they remained civilians ( Duguid, 1938 ; Horswill and Carleton, 2021 ). Remnants of such thinking persist today regarding PSP ( Burns and Buchanan, 2020 ; Ricciardelli et al, 2020a ), as evidenced by cultures of stoicism in policing organizations ( McElheran and Stelnicki, 2021 ) and the use of personality screening measures with police recruits not only to assess for vocational goodness of fit, but also for the potentiality for psychological problems ( Pozzulo et al, 2017 ). Nevertheless, the ability of personality screens to predict mental health outcomes among police appears modest at best ( Detrick et al, 2001 ; Koepfler et al, 2012 ).…”