The Efficacy of Wellness Programs within the Law Enforcement Structure: Evidence-based Prevention

Davena L. Longshore, Ph.D., Jordan Pate-Garrett, M.S., and Patricia Petrova, M.S. The Cummings Foundation for Behavioral Health Reno, Nevada, United States

Author Note

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Davena L. Longshore, The Cummings Foundation for Behavioral Health, 4781 Caughlin Parkway, Reno, NV 89519, USA. Email: dlongshore@cummingsCFBH.org.

Abstract

Law enforcement officers are continually subjected to long hours, high-stress situations, and, more recently, persistent public scrutiny. This longitudinal study examined changes in overall psychological well-being, stress coping styles, and beliefs about seeking mental health help among police officers participating in a wellness program in Arlington, Virginia. A total of 173 officers provided self-reported data over the course of one year. Linear Mixed Models (LMM) were employed to analyze changes over time while accounting for missing data under the Missing at Random (MAR) assumption. Results showed significant improvements in psychological well-being (b = 0.43, p = .03) and stress coping styles over time (b = 0.67, p < .001), while no significant change was observed in beliefs about seeking mental health help and its related stigma (b = 0.05, p = .49). These results highlight the potential benefits of wellness programs in law enforcement.