| In recent years, a large body of clinical research has been undertaken in the areas of trauma, crisis intervention, and disaster management.; Selye (1956) originally coined the term "stress," and he described the stress reaction as a three stage process. Beginning with an initial alarm reaction that is physiological in nature, an individual will experience increased heart rate, respiration, and perspiration in reaction to a stimulus. The next stage is the individual's response to the stressors, which was known as the "resistance." This stage could include adaptive coping strategies or maladaptive responses. Should an individual not successfully manage to cope with the stressor, "exhaustion," Selye's final stage, would manifest in negative health effects.; Researchers generally agree that excessive stress can diminish the health and quality of work-life for employees. The practical reality is that stress is neither good or bad. There are optimal levels of stress at work as there are in life. The issue is not one of presence or absence, but rather of the nature, intensity, and duration of stress and the resources available to respond to it.; Certain fields have received more research attention than others regarding occupational stress. It is clear from the research conducted in the transportation industry that high-levels of perceived occupational stress can negatively impact performance, job satisfaction, and quality of life of employees.; This dissertation focuses on the development of a structured post-trauma intervention for American railroad personnel, individuals who work day-to-day in a high risk industry. This program is specifically designed to address the posttraumatic stress response in order to assist an individual in reestablishing psychological and physiological homeostasis more quickly.; The program is unique in its application to rail crews and locomotive engineers who have been involved in serious accidents. In addition to a structured debriefing intervention, the program includes the use of a psychoeducational segment, peer counseling and dynamic group therapy with a systematic follow-up process. It is the belief of this writer that developing a structured pre- and post-trauma intervention can assist an individual in reestablishing psychological, and physiological, homeostasis more quickly. A systematic follow-up process will then provide longitudinal assessment of individuals for any long-term negative psychological effects. The program will attempt to bridge the gap between railroad labor and management's current methods and rationale in handling critical incidents, while providing a timely and unique psychological service to a population with demonstrated need. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)... |
