Evaluation of an Educational Intervention for Employees Exposed to Workplace Trauma

Experiencing a traumatic event at work has detrimental effects on the individual and the organization he/she works for. In some cases, exposure to a traumatic event leads to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); a debilitating anxiety disorder. In this study, 2 groups of Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) employees will be compared: those receiving the usual care (TAU group) and a group receiving an educational intervention (BPI group). The primary outcome is the proportion of participants seeking treatment. Additionally, interviews will be conducted with a subset of participants who have sought treatment. These interviews will explore participants perceptions of the educational intervention and discuss reasons for seeking treatment. Overall, this study may help to clarify the role of educational interventions for trauma. The TTC will benefit through the implementation and evaluation of a novel intervention aimed specifically at their employees. Educating employees about trauma and PTSD may lead to a higher number of employees seeking specialty mental health treatment for their symptoms.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Paul Links

Student:

Sheena Bance

Partner:

Toronto Transit Commission

Discipline:

Psychology

Sector:

Automotive and transportation

University:

University of Toronto