PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF MENTAL IMAGING TRAINING FOR POLICE TRAINEES

This study investigated the effects of an intervention programme that mentally prepared police trainees for stressful assignments in order t o counteract unfavourable, possibly damaging, psychobiological reactio ns. Seventy-five police trainees participated. One group received ment al imaging training. A reference group did not. All trainees were eval uated at the beginning of their final term at the Swedish Police Acade my and at the termination of supervised mental training. Subjects comp leted a questionnaire on both occasions and physiological factors were measured. The baseline evaluation showed no significant differences b etween the groups. The second assessment showed that mental training a ffected the intervention group, which experienced their daily situatio n more positively than the reference group, The intervention group als o reported higher well-being - with fewer intestinal and sleep problem s. The study to date indicates some positive cognitive and psychologic al effects of the image programme. Whether the programme over time wil l also impact on the physiological and somatic health remains to be de termined.