New Hope for Correctional Officers: An Innovative Program for Reducing Stress and Health Risks

This  study  investigated  the  impact of a new stress management program on physiological and psychological stress and health risk factors among 75 correctional officers. The experimental group received training in emotion self-regulation techniques intended to reduce stress and health risk factors. Practice of the techniques was enhanced by heart rate variability feedback, which helped participants  learn  and  sustain  use  of the  self-management tools.  Measures of physiological stress  included  cortisol, DHEA,  cholesterol, triglycerides,  fasting  glucose  levels,10-min  resting  electrocardiogram,  heart  rate  variability and  blood  pressure.  Three  psychological  questionnaires assessed emotional stress and workrelated variables. Therewere  significant  improvements  in  the  experimental  group in  cholesterol,  glucose,  heart  rate,  blood  pressure  and positive outlook and significant reductions in overall psychological  distress.  There  were  significant  increases  in productivity,  motivation,  goal  clarity,  and  perceived  support.  The  mean  difference  between  pre-  and  post-intervention  projected  health care costs was calculated to be $1,179 per employee per year.

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