Potentially Psychologically Traumatic Event Exposures Among RCMP Cadets During the Cadet Training Program
RCMP are frequently exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events (PPTEs) while on duty, but it is less clear if RCMP cadets are exposed to PPTEs during the 26-week Cadet Training Program (CTP). Determining when career-related PPTE exposures begin to accumulate can help to inform additional opportunities to increase the safety and well-being of cadets during the CTP and while serving. The current study provides information on the types of PPTEs experienced by cadets during training and examines for associations with mental health disorder symptoms. Participants were RCMP cadets from the larger RCMP Longitudinal PTSD study who self-reported PPTEs and mental health symptoms during the CTP. Most participants reported no PPTE exposures (n = 374, 83.3%) during the CTP. Cadets who did report PPTE exposures during the CTP, most frequently reported exposure to serious transportation accidents, physical assault, and sudden accidental death. The total number of PPTE types reported during the CTP was associated with increased risk for any mental health disorders. The current results indicate that career-related PPTE exposures can start to accumulate as early as training and may be associated with mental health disorder symptoms. Early evidence-based supports, strategies and interventions are necessary to support the mental health and safety of cadets during training and onwards throughout their careers.
Why was the study done?
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are frequently exposed to potentially traumatic events (PPTEs) while on duty. Repeated exposures to PPTEs, can lead to posttraumatic stress injuries (PTSIs), such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), panic disorder (PD), and alcohol use disorder (AUD). Previous research has focused on PPTE exposures while on active duty or lifetime exposures prior to recruitment or training, while there is little research on PPTE exposures experienced during training. Understanding the experiences of cadets during training can help to determine when career-related PPTE exposures begin to accumulate and can help to inform additional opportunities to increase the safety and well-being of cadets during the CTP and while serving.
What was done in the study?
The current study is part of the larger RCMP Longitudinal PTSD Study (www.rcmpstudy.ca) a multimodal mental health programme that includes evidence-informed integrated cadet mental health training and evidence-based biopsychosocial assessments before and after training and annually for 5 years.
The current study was designed to (1) assess PPTE exposures experienced by cadets during the CTP; (2) compare PPTE exposures across sociodemographic characteristics (i.e., gender, sex, age); and (3) examine for association between PPTE exposures and mental health disorder symptoms. Cadets (n=449) self-reported PPTE exposures (including type, frequency, and exposure modality) and mental health disorder symptoms (e.g., PTSD, MDD, GAD, SAD, PD, and AUD) following the CTP.
What did we find out?
During the CTP, most cadets reported no PPTE exposures (n = 374, 83.3%). Cadets who did report PPTE exposures during the CTP through any modality (i.e., direct or indirect), most frequently reported exposure to serious transportation accidents, physical assault, and sudden accidental death. There were no differences in PPTE exposures reported through any modality based on gender, sex, marital status, ethnicity, province of residence, or military or public safety experience.
Cadets who reported exposures during the CTP also reported direct exposure (i.e., it happened to me) to physical assault, other unwanted or uncomfortable sexual experience, and serious transportation accident. There were some notable differences in direct exposures based on gender.
The total number of PPTE types was statistically significantly associated with increased odds of screening positive for any mental health disorder (e.g., PTSD, MDD, GAD, SAD, PD, and AUD). The total number of PPTE types was also positively associated with PTSD, MDD, and GAD symptoms.
Where do we go from here?
The current results show that career-related PPTE exposure can begin to accumulate as early as training and can be associated with mental health disorders, underscoring the need for early and ongoing evidence-based assessments, support, and interventions. However, most cadets did not report PPTE exposures. Knowledge about the PPTEs that cadets experience during the CTP can inform recruitment and retention by providing insight into experiences that may impact cadets’ mental health, thereby informing resources needed to further support cadets during training.
Original Study
Andrews, K. L., Maguire, K. Q., Jamshidi, L., Afifi, T. O., Nisbet, J., Shields, R. E., Teckchandani, T. A., Asmundson, G. J. G., Brunet, A., Lix, L. M., Sauer-Zavala, S., Sareen, J., Keane, T. M., Neary, J. P., & Carleton, R. N. (2025). Prophylactic relationship between mental health disorder symptoms and physical activity of Royal Canadian Mounted Police Cadets during the cadet training program. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9(3), 455-472. doi:https://doi.org/10,1002/jts.23115
The RCMP Study is funded by support from the RCMP, the Government of Canada, and the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness. R. N. Carleton is supported by the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Arts at The University of Regina, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canada Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and a Medavie Foundation Project Grant. T. O. Afifi is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Childhood Adversity and Resilience. S. H. Stewart is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health. L. M. Lix is supported by a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Methods for Electronic Health Data Quality. The development, analyses, and distribution of the current article was made possible by a generous and much-appreciated grant from the Medavie Foundation.
The original wording of the study was changed and condensed for the current research summary.
Prepared by K. Vincent