I have always wondered why, today, individuals who have undergone some traumatic experience should often be pounced upon by a team of therapists and treated to a session or two of psychological debriefing. The practice was originally designed for situations, such as warfare or kidnap, where persons were expected to suffer a disabling reaction to their harrowing experiences if not given prompt and vigorous counselling by experts in stress-relieving therapy. It is now often extended to otherwise healthy and hearty individuals who have suffered an uncomplicated family bereavement, for example.
In the British Medical Journal for October 28, a clinical psychologist from Brisbane discusses the current status of psychological debriefing. He states that, despite its widespread application, doubts over its effectiveness and possible harmful potential have been raised in clinical trials. The procedure involves counselling and the imparting of information calculated to aid recovery after the traumatic incident. Treatment generally occurs within a few days, lasts one to three hours, and usually attempts to encourage emotional expression, which is Nature's way of healing psychological traumas.
Unfortunately, some trials have discovered no evidence that debriefing has relieved psychological morbidity, and some evidence that it may sometimes prolong the healing process. It is therefore not to be regarded as completely free from potential hazard. Certain factors, it is believed, may affect the recovery process. They include a perception that a recent trauma was life-threatening, the previous state of the sufferer's mind, and continued exposure to serious stressor factors. Expectations of what responses and reactions are playing a part in the trauma process may play their part, as do personality traits and ability to deal with stress, in influencing recovery.
As a rule, a person's tendency to avoid rather than confront an emotionally upsetting experience tends to dictate a poorer outcome after trauma. Such persons will perhaps need more help in coping with the aftermath, but if treatment is too brief distress may be exacerbated. Many factors are to be taken into account.