Posttraumatic distress in security guards and the various effects of social support

Declercq, Frédéric; Vanheule, Stijn; Markey, Samuel; Willemsen, Jochem

doi:10.1002/jclp.20426

Cited by 28 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Most studies focus on one type of profession such as nurse, healthcare practitioner, and rescue personnel, but little is known about security guard. Some other studies focus on violence against security guard [1,6]. Empirical research on the involvement of security guards in aggression and violence however is scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, specific research on mental health problems among security guard is scarce. According to previous studies on workplace violence [6][7][17][18], three types of mental health problems have been suggested: substance abuse, personality disorder, and depression. Conventionally, substance abuse is likely to occur among those who have to stay awake at night, as well as a known coping method for stress.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Identifying types of Mental Health Problems and Aggression among Security Guards: Are they Totally Safe

Asghari¹

2013

PBS

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Security guards give service within several ranges of tasks. In the line of duty in various work settings, guards may be expected to maintain order and to detain criminal violators while appointed to a single property or placed on patrol for various sites or territories. Concisely, a security guard may encounter a variety of situations, locations, and behaviours. With such a heavy responsibility and important duties, it is very important to make sure that the security guards are mentally and behaviourally healthy and safe. Concerning these issues, this study aimed to identify types of mental health problem and aggression among security guards. In addition, association between mental health problems and aggression, and difference between male and female security guards in terms of mental health problems were examined. Self-report surveys were conducted among 300 security guards in data collection. The findings identified four subtypes of mental health problems: substance abuse, antisocial personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and depression, experienced by the security guards. The security guards were also reported to be performing physical aggression, verbal aggression, anger, and hostility. Male and female security guards showed significant difference in occurrence of mental health problems. The association between the mental health problems and aggression were also found mostly significant. Concisely, prevalence of mental health problems and aggressive behaviours was identified among security guards. These findings suggest that people who work as security guards in the presence of mental health problems are not totally safe. The findings recommend a serious need for mental health problems assessment among security guards during the enrolment or whilst performing daily duties in order to ensure healthy and safe employer and the public as whole and safe workplace environment. The findings of this study are crucial for public awareness.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identifying types of Mental Health Problems and Aggression among Security Guards: Are they Totally Safe

Asghari¹

2013

PBS

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“…We are aware of only three studies, none of which was carried out in Finland. Two of these dealt with burnout symptoms and their associations with critical incidents such as death threats, injuries, assaults, or hold-ups in security guards' work 18,19) . The third study 20) dealt with the relationships between job performance and subjective mental workload in a sample of security guards.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Work-related Violence against Security Guards—Who is Most at Risk?

et al. 2011

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Studies on violence in the work of security guards are largely lacking. This study is unique in that it focuses on security guards (n=1,010) in Finland, and assesses the different forms, prevalence, and risk factors of the work-related violence they often face. Information to a survey instrument was obtained by first interviewing 30 volunteers. Then we made a crosssectional mailed survey that was sent to a randomized group of 2,000 security guards. The response rate was 52. We found the prevalence of verbal aggression, threats of assault, and physical acts against security guards at least once a month to be 39%, 19%, and 15% respectively. As regards risk factors and who is most at risk, our results show that male gender, young age, low work experience, late working hours, and time pressure were associated with all three forms of work-related violence. Unlike other forms of violence, verbal aggression was highly prevalent outside the metropolitan area and directed towards both more and less experienced security guards. In prevention policies for violence, it is important to identify high-risk groups such as those who have less work experience.

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“…However, litt le is known about specific occupation such as security guard. So far, researches involving security guard have been focusing on violence against the security guard[1] [6], but there is not much scientific and emp irical research on the involvement of security guards in aggression, violence, and crime. Security guard has been identified as one of the fastest growing occupation world wide [7][8][9][10], thus highlighted theimportanc e to specifically study the population.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Ho wever, so far no specific research regarding mental health problems among security guard was found. Previous literature reviews on critical incident and career burnout [6] [34][35] strongly suggest that substance abuse, personality disorders, depression, and psychosis as types of mental health problems that might present among the security guards. For all four mental health problems, one of the most prevalence causes, other than stress, is childhood trauma experience [36][37][38][39][40][41].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Kind of Mental Health Problems and it Association with Aggressiveness: A Study on Security Guards

Asghari¹,

Mazlan²

2012

IJPBS

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Work-related violence has been recognized as an increasing occupational hazard in the recent years. The current study aims to identify the risk factors of mental health problems that contribute to work-related v iolence among security guard. A cross-sectional study was designed involving 445 security guards as the participants. Eight psychometric instruments were used to collect the data and the analyses were conducted using statistical applicat ion. The findings showed that presence of five subtypes of mental health problems were notable among the part icipants, considering that the population is not within psychiatric or prison settings. Two causes of mental health problems, childhood trauma experiences, and stress were found significantly related to the five subtypes of mental health problems among the participants. The five subtypes of mental health problems on the other hand were significantly related to aggression. In conclusion, stress and childhood traumas were identified as possible risk factors for mental health problems among security guard. On the other hand, mental health problems are the risk factors for aggressive acts and therefore, risk factors for workp lace vio lence among the security guard.

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Posttraumatic distress in security guards and the various effects of social support

Cited by 28 publications

References 23 publications

Identifying types of Mental Health Problems and Aggression among Security Guards: Are they Totally Safe

Identifying types of Mental Health Problems and Aggression among Security Guards: Are they Totally Safe

Work-related Violence against Security Guards—Who is Most at Risk?

The Kind of Mental Health Problems and it Association with Aggressiveness: A Study on Security Guards

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