La prise en charge psychologique de salariés victimes d’une agression au travail

Abstract

IntroductionEven if violence at work is not a new phenomenon, its acknowledgment and methods are very well known. The effects on employees, particularly when they have been threatened with weapons, can be very serious (leading to a sense of guilt, social isolation, a lack of self-confidence, a stripping of identity…). This highlights the huge importance to provide for its care. Regarding scientific literature, psychological debriefing seems to be an interesting line of inquiry. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the effects of psychological debriefing with victims of an attack at work. MethodSixty employees divided into three groups took part in this research. The first group consisted of twenty employees who had experienced an aggression at work and who had accepted a psychological follow-up (psychological debriefing done within 72 hours after the attack). The second group also consisted of twenty employees who were victims of an attack, but they had not wished for any specific follow-up. The control group consisted of twenty employees who had never been subjected to such an ordeal in their career. All the participants underwent an evaluation at the time of the initial phase (before meeting the psychologist), then had another six months later. ResultsThe results show that the victims of an attack at work experience traumatic symptoms (measured by the Impact Event Scale-Revised), which were significantly higher than those of the control group. Such effects seem to ease up after six months for the participants having accepted a psychological follow-up. Similarly, the participants who had been part of the psychological follow up felt more at ease at work and were a lot less fearful six months later, compared to the other employees who were victims of attack who hadn’t had a psychological follow up. ConclusionThese results demonstrate the positive effects of psychological debriefing on employees who have experienced an attack at work.