The article went on to state that contractors, either while working in Iraq or on their return home, are for the most part apparently left to fend for themselves. The corporations that employ them seem not to have made provision for their psychological care and there is no mechanism in place to assess how this group is fairing psychologically.
This report, which it should be emphasized, is based on anecdotal not empirical data, should not come as a surprise. The current environment in Iraq is hazardous in the extreme and contractors inevitably face grave dangers. This situation is not, of course, unique to them and in theory lessons can be learned from another profession who have also chosen to work in Iraq on a temporary basis. Here I refer to front-line journalists.
In a study my research group completed a few years back and published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress Studies, foreign journalists working in Iraq were found to have prominent symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and depression. What is noteworthy is that these findings emerged during the early stages of the Iraq conflict during a period in which the dangers were considered less intense than those currently encountered. There is therefore every reason to believe that should this study be repeated now, the results would likely show a further increase in the journalists’ psychological distress.
As a result of the above findings CNN and its former Managing Director for CNN International, Chris Cramer, sponsored the development of an interactive website to assess the psychological health of front-line journalists in the field. The website www.conflict-study.com was recently launched and has been a critical success receiving considerable attention from journalists. It provides an easy-to-use tool that allows journalists to undertake a self-assessment with respect to disorders such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Major Depression, Substance Abuse, and overall psychological health. Journalists are provided with immediate feedback as to their scores and advised whether to consult their general practitioner or their Employer Assistance Program.
An on-line assessment program that has worked well for journalists could, in principle work well for contractors too. There is a universality to trauma response and the kinds of disorders that front-line journalists suffer from will be the same as those affecting contractors.
The corporations that employ contractors and send them into hazardous environments such as Iraq and Afghanistan may therefore want to take note of the experiences of front-line journalists and what has been learned by those in news organizations who care for their well being. The methodology developed for journalists, an offshoot of more than five years of research, would be applicable to contractors and could provide a ready and user friendly means to assist this group as they endeavor to function in the worlds most dangerous places.
Anthony Feinstein
Professor, Department of Psychiatry
University of Toronto
antfeinstein@aol.com
