ABSTRACT
Introduction Disasters and other events causing devastating damage typically result in intensive media coverage and extended public discussions. Apart from reporting on the extent of the disaster and its victims and causes, the public has also increasingly focused its attention on helpers, members of rescue teams and other emergency service personnel. The consequences of such missions on the emotional state of members of rescue teams and the question of how to cope with such situations have increasingly gained importance. This topic has also been discussed within rescue organizations and, consequently, the self-understanding of these professional groups has changed. These discussions have concluded that a special ‘method of treatment’ for members of certain professional groups is required, efficient and different from measures commonly taken in psychotherapy. One of the methods fulfilling these criteria has been introduced in several organizations under the name of Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM). Rationale for Critical Incident Stress Management Air traffic controllers work in an environment that demands constant vigilance and involves situations requiring total attentiveness and concentration and are consequently exposed to a high level of professional stress. Controllers need to rely on the smooth functioning of the ATC system. Additional stress may arise if parts of this system do not interface smoothly. Tensions within the social and family life also have the effect of causing additional stress. These additional stress factors are referred to as cumulative stress, while occupational stress caused through the professional environment is referred to as general stress. Any malfunction of the air traffic system to operate smoothly and safely may cause critical incidents that lead
to a specific form of stress, namely critical incident stress or critical incident stress reactions. Stress Stress is not always negative. Quite on the contrary, human beings need a certain healthy level of stress to operate effectively. The crucial factor is how people handle positive stress (eustress) and negative stress (distress). Stress may be defined as a condition of physical and psychological arousal, and broken down into two categories, the normal pathway and the pathological pathway. The normal pathway includes general stress and critical incident stress. The pathological pathway includes cumulative stress and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The distinction made between these forms of stress hinges on whether the form of stress is normal or pathological. Note that critical incident stress is classed as normal stress meaning that its initial effects are not necessarily pathological.
