Frequently Asked Questions

The Study is a multi-year research project designed to investigate the effects of policing on the mental health of RCMP members and to assess the benefits of a specialized, skills-based mental health training program. The ultimate goal is to develop a skills-based training system for mental health that reduces risk, increases resilience, and enhances treatment efforts. Volunteers who participate will provide important data about their physical and mental health, beginning in their earliest days of training, and then throughout their first five years as RCMP officers.

Risk factors can be broadly defined as “things that make it harder for us to endure or recover from stressful or traumatic events”. Resiliency factors can be broadly defined as “things that help us to endure or recover from stressful or upsetting events”.

The Study is designed to identify risk and resiliency factors associated with policing in order to help us identify physiological and psychological signs of trauma and stress-related disorders, so that we may offer effective training, support, and related services to RCMP personnel before these conditions become more serious or negatively impact quality of life. For a full description of the objectives and purpose of the Study, please refer to section 2.1 “Purpose of the Study” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Up to now, there has been very little long-term research regarding the relationship between posttraumatic stress injuries and individual risk and resiliency. Having such limited research evidence makes developing effective training and support programs to increase resiliency and reduce risk for those in policing and public safety extremely difficult. Accordingly, the Study is designed to produce critical information that can be used to improve mental health training and support services.

An initiative such as the Study recognizes the vital role our policing services play and the importance of supporting the mental health of RCMP who serve our communities. The intent of the Study is to offer insights, processes, and tools that will support RCMP programs to enhance early detection and intervention. If the tools and techniques help to reduce suffering, as well as improve mental and physical health within our RCMP, we hope those

The costs of stress-related injuries are high in terms of individual disability and human suffering. RCMP and others involved in the protection and security of Canadians face dangerous, often unpredictable, and tragic situations in their working lives. They are often first responders and, as such, there should be little surprise that many RCMP have reported experiencing stress-related injuries. A recent study (Carleton, Afifi, Turner, et. Al, 2018) found that nearly a third of RCMP officer participants reported experiencing symptoms consistent with PTSD and approximately half reported experiencing other potentially problematic symptoms.

According to Health Canada records (2016), 40% of the calls to Employee Assistance Services were linked to psychological concerns in 2016. There were 1,467 RCMP members receiving Veterans Affairs Canada pensions for OSI’s; triple the number reported in 2008 and representing 6.5% of the force. PTSD was and is the number one medical condition of serving members receiving the pension.

Health Canada (2016) records indicate that the monetary costs are high as well. Approximately 1.4 million dollars was spent in 2015-2016 for members attending OSI clinics. 38% of off-duty sick members reported they were off work due to mental illness, with a cost of approximately 2.9 million dollars that year.

The goal of the Study is to help us to identify signs of stress sooner and help us build services to reduce the suffering of RCMP members, improve their overall health and capacities, and reduce associated monetary costs.

The Study aligns very well with the RCMP’s mental health strategy and their focus on continuous improvement. The Study will also provide scientific evidence that can be used to support participants in early detection and intervention of potential mental health—before PTSD or other stress-related injuries are unintentionally left un-diagnosed and untreated. Early detection and intervention should support reductions in length of time a participant experiences symptoms and provide opportunities to help reduce impairment and increase quality of life.

The Study researchers only have access to the numeric identifiers of participants in the Study. If a participant shows signs of a mental health concern, such as PTSD, another stress-related injury, or another mental illness, the participant may be informed by the software or by the Study research team and then encouraged to engage with the mental health support services available through the RCMP or through another provider; however, with the exception of situations wherein a participant’s or other person’s safety is at immediate risk, the choice to engage with mental health services remains with the participant. For a full description of this process, please refer to section 3.3 “Limits to Confidentiality” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

To assess the impact of policing on mental health, we need to establish initial or baseline data before individuals have begun their careers as police officers. The baseline data allows researchers to see what stays the same and what changes over time as cadets complete their training, graduate, and begin their careers as a police officer.

There are several reasons. First, we believe many cadets will welcome the opportunity to get involved because their participation will help to improve our understanding of mental health so that, in the future, we can better reduce the risk of PTSD for Study participants, their fellow officers, and ultimately all public safety personnel.
Second, the Study is an interesting, innovative project, and those participating will be more aware of their mental health than other RCMP officers who came before them. The assessments and their own monitoring will help participants to proactively take charge of their own mental health and, if necessary, to better engage mental health support options earlier and with more information. The adapted training Team 2 participants receive is unique, and we expect they will be able to apply what they learn to their personal lives, which should also ultimately help to support their own families, as well as the citizens served by our RCMP.
Finally, many people already use a fitness tracker to monitor their physical activity, which means that participants in Teams 1 and 2 can also use the provided wearable technology to help manage their physical health.
For a full description of the potential benefits of the Study, please refer to section 6.2 “Potential Benefits” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The role of participating cadets is covered in more detail in Part C of the FAQs. In general, however, the following applies:
• All participants will be asked to take part in a confidential Full Assessment. This involves completing a ~75-minute online computer survey, followed by a ~60-minute structured interview with a trained psychologist. The Full Assessments will be conducted at the beginning of the Study, immediately prior to deployment, and annually thereafter until the Study is completed.
• All participants will use a special mobile app, known as RCMP Study/Étude GRC, on their Smartphone to complete their daily and monthly surveys. This is expected to take one minute per day and 30 minutes per month, respectively.
• All participants will be asked to use a biometric device that tracks physiological data. Cadets will be able to report their daily data from biometric devices by uploading data through a mobile app on their Smartphone, or through a secure web portal over the internet.
• Study participants in Team 2 will also take special RCMP Augmented Training
• Results from the self-report questionnaires and clinical interviews will not be used to evaluate fitness to be an RCMP Cadet or RCMP Member at any time.
Once enrolled, participation begins from the earliest days in training through to their graduation from Depot and then through to their early years of their policing career—for about 5 years post-training. The RCMP will allow time in the field for participants to meet these requirements.
For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

On the first Monday of training at Depot in Regina, a presentation describing the goals and design of the Study will be provided.
Later in the week, cadets will be brought together for an onboarding session where they will be asked if they wish to participate. If so, they will then register with their Participant ID, enter their password, review and agree to the Consent Form, and receive a biometric device.

On your first Monday of training at Depot in Regina after the briefing about the Study is complete, cadets will be eligible to sign up to participate in the Study; however, cadets are not required to commit on the spot. Cadets will be given until the end of day on the following Thursday to make their decision. We encourage all cadets to thoroughly review the resources we provide in advance, on this website, and in the briefing presentations to inform their decision.  Cadets are also encouraged to discuss participation with their families.

If a cadet decides to participate in the following week, they can reach out to the RCMP Research team via the email address found on the back of their participant card.

The Consent Form outlines the project in detail, the roles of participants in the research, and what can be expected during the course of the Study. The Consent Form also covers what is expected of volunteers, as well as privacy, security, and other considerations, such as withdrawal or removal from the Study.

Cadets must agree to the Consent Form to be considered for participation in the Study; however, at any time during the Study, participants have the right to withdraw. Participation remains completely voluntary for the full duration of the research Study. Participants who wish to leave the study are directed to complete the Exit Form available in the web portal.  For a full description of withdrawal from the Study, please refer to section 7.1 “Right to Withdraw” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

No, cadets will not be eligible to sign up for participation in this Study until after attending the briefing at Depot on their first day of training. After attending this briefing, they will be provided with an opportunity to read and accept the Consent Form at the time they register in the Study.  Cadets may sign up any time after the briefing and will be given until the end of their first Thursday of training to make a decision about whether or not to participate.

The RCMP Study/Étude GRC app has been carefully designed to safeguard the privacy and the confidentiality of participant data. Information submitted is anonymized.  This means that the developer has taken steps to ensure that individuals cannot be identified by attributes such as geographic location.

Each participant will be randomly assigned a random 16-character participant code so that their identity cannot be directly linked to their anonymized data. The collected and stored data will only be linked to participants by this number.  This participant code will allow the researchers to link their answers from each of the interviews and questionnaires and uploaded physiological data together without labelling any of the data with a participant’s name or other direct identifiers. The research team will only know participants by their 16-character participant code thus further protecting the participants’ anonymity. The RCMP will not have access to any individual participant data from the research Study. Data being transferred from one device to another (e.g., the participants’ phone to the secured servers) is protected using Transport Layer Security (TLS), which provides cryptographically secure communications.

The anonymized data will be stored securely on Canadian servers.  For a full description of the data storage measures used in the Study, please refer to section 5.1 “Storage of Data during the Study” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of the Government of Canada and Saskatchewan has conducted an impact assessment on all the information gathering technology used in the Study and acted as a consultant in the areas of privacy, security, confidentiality, and access, thus further ensuring participants’ privacy.

For a full description of all privacy measures used in the Study, please refer to section 3.1 “Ensuring Confidentiality” and section 3.2 “Other Privacy Precautions” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

No. The RCMP has no access to the anonymous individual responses, nor can the data be viewed by the RCMP.  For a full description of all privacy measures used in the Study, please refer to section 3.2 “Ensuring Confidentiality and section 3.2 “Other Privacy Precautions” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The only exceptions to this are if a participant says they plan on harming themselves or that a child is or children are in danger of being abused. If a clinician becomes concerned that there is an imminent risk to a participant’s safety or the safety of someone else, he or she may be legally required to attempt to identify the participant in order to ensure their safety or the safety of others; nevertheless, before any such attempt is made the clinician will attempt to discuss alternatives with the participant which ensures their safety or others’ safety without compromising their confidentiality.  For a full description of this process, please refer to section 3.3 “Limits of Confidentiality” of the Consent Form.

Participants will be asked to provide information regarding their physical health and activities; any prior work as a first responder; mental health supports in the work place; personal perspectives regarding mental health; history of stressors (childhood, workplace, family); their emotional wellbeing; any mental health challenges; past or current diagnoses (including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder). Participants will also be asked to provide information regarding their approaches to problem solving and coping; social, family, and community involvement and supports. As noted earlier in this document and expanded upon in later FAQ’s, the responses and results of completed surveys will be anonymous and confidential, and will not be used to impact your training or how you are evaluated at Depot at any time. For a full description of all data collected in the Study, please refer to section 2 “Purpose and Procedures” of the Consent Form, in particular the chart located at the end of section 2.4 “Augmented Training (Team 2 only)”. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The initial and pre-deployment interviews with cadets will take place in person in a private, unmonitored room at Depot Division. The clinician will introduce him/herself but will not ask for identifying information from the Participant other than their Participant ID number. The clinician will review confidentiality, confirm the Participant’s consent to participate, then administer a structured interview which focuses on gathering information about the Participant’s current and past mental health and wellbeing (e.g., their moods, coping, attitudes, behavior). The clinician will explain that the assessment results are not intended to yield diagnoses, but that the clinician will let the Participant know if there were any response patterns which may suggest that the Participant may benefit from support services. In this case, the clinician can direct the Participant to a list of possible resources on the web portal. Any decision to seek support or additional information will be entirely up to the Participant and, unless there are imminent safety concerns, the results of the interview will of course remain confidential. For a full description of the clinical interviews used in the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

For each survey that a Participant completes (initial, daily, monthly, yearly), the questions and responses will be available for viewing by the Participant in the Research Portal. As information is gathered over time the Participant will be able to view graphs which allow them to identify and respond to trends if they wish. For example, participants may see that their activity or social interaction levels declined while their stress level increased over a particular period of time, and they may choose to renew their activity level accordingly. For a full description of this and the potential benefits of the Study, please refer to section 6.2 “Potential Benefits” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

No, the interview assessments are for mental health screening. While the results may suggest an area of concern about which participants may decide they want more information or support, the interview assessment is not meant to convey a diagnosis.

No member of the research team can identify a participant by their Participant Code. Only in an exceptional case where, based on the information provided by the participant, a registered psychologist has made the determination that there are imminent safety concerns (see FAQ #18) that the participant’s confidentiality will be breached. In such a case, in order to intervene to save a life, the Participant Code would be provided to the RCMP. Even in this situation, the RCMP would not have access to the participant’s individual responses; only to their name.

Every effort will be made to discuss the situation with the participant beforehand, but that discussion may not always be possible.  For example, if a participant is at imminent risk, and a Study clinician cannot reach the participant, the clinician is ethically and legally obligated to try to protect the participant’s safety, which may mean that the participant’s confidentiality must be breached.

For a full description of this process, please refer to 3.3 “Limits to Confidentiality” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Absolutely, cadets may discuss this with their family and/or friends if it will help them in considering the opportunity.  We want the cadets to feel they have all of the necessary supports to make a fully informed decision. We recommend they share the URL for this website  (www.rcmpstudy.ca) with any friends or family who may help them in making the decision on whether or not to participate in this Study. The positive mental health and care of the members will have a positive effect on their loved ones.

The potential risks to participants are minimal. Rarely, an individual may develop redness or skin irritation from wearing a biometric device.
It is also possible that some questions contained in the surveys or structured interview with the clinician may lead to uneasiness, sadness, worry, or stress. The research team expects such feelings to be temporary and manageable; however, if participants would like on-going assistance they will be referred to appropriate professionals who can provide that assistance.
For a full description of the potential risks of the Study, please refer to section 6.1 “Potential Risks” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

When a cadet enrolls in the Study they will be participating in one of two Study teams. Cadets will all receive a Participant ID that keeps their identity confidential when they complete the surveys and structured clinical interviews, and when they upload biometric data.

All participants will be using the biometric device and their smartphone. The data will be uploaded from the various devices to secure servers. All Study participants will be provided with detailed instructions on how to do this. For a full description of the technology used in the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” and section 2.3 “Technological Considerations” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The biometric device receives information about the cadet’s heart rate, breathing rate, and movement, which allows the technology and software to estimate variables, such as stress levels and activity intensity. Please note: The heart-related recordings are not intended to be used for diagnostic purposes and the research team will not be monitoring for evaluating for heart-related complications. If a participant has concerns about their heart we recommend consulting with a family physician or another appropriate health care specialist.
For a full description of all data collected in the Study, please refer to section 2 “Purpose and Procedures” of the Consent Form, in particular the chart located at the end of section 2.4 “Augmented Training (Team 2 only)”. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The RCMP Study/Étude GRC app is compatible with most Apple and Android devices.

Team 1 participants will be asked to use wearable technology (i.e., biometric device, Apple Watch) that tracks physiological data including heart rates, breathing, and physical activity. Participants in Team 1 will then be asked to upload that data. Team 1 participants will also be provided with the iPhone to facilitate the collection and entry of data. For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Team 2 participants will be asked to use a biometric device that tracks physiological data including heart rates, breathing, and physical activity. Participants in Team 2 will then be asked to upload that data. Team 2 participants will use their personal smart phone or be provided with the iPhone to facilitate the collection and entry of data.
The current Study is designed to provide a skills-based intervention program, specifically adapted for the RCMP, to Team 2 as an integrated part of their training. The researchers will then monitor the impact of the adapted training on their mental health over the five years following graduation. The researchers can then compare the mental health of RCMP officers who received the standard training to the mental health of RCMP officers who received the adapted training program. The comparison is critical to ensure we can confidently know what beneficial impact, if any, the adapted training program has on RCMP mental health.
For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.2“Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Each of the two teams plays a critically important contributing role to support the reliability and integrity of any findings that emerge and to assess the beneficial effects of self-monitoring, the skills-based training, and the wearable technology.
By working with different teams within the same population—the RCMP cadets enrolled in training in 2019 and subsequent years—we’re better able to identify and control unrelated factors that might influence outcomes. We have also designed the Study carefully to assess the impact of the skills-based mental health training, when other variables are held constant. This design allows us to more accurately determine what changes occur for participants who have received the skills-based training.
For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.1 “Purpose of the Study” and section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Team 2 will be provided with specialized mental health training program specifically adapted for the RCMP. The program uses cognitive-behavioral (CBT) treatment to effectively treat common mental health disorders, like anxiety and depression. The program has been shown to restore mental health after a stress injury has occurred.  When all teams are deployed to field offices, the research team will be able to assess what beneficial impact, if any, occurred because of the augmented training.

For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.4 “Augmented Training (Team 2 only)” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The RCMP is allowing participants to complete Study-related activities during training hours. The time commitment is approximately one minute per day to complete the daily surveys, ~30 minutes for the monthly surveys, ~75 minutes for the annual Full Assessment survey, and ~60 minutes for the annual Full Assessment structured interviews with clinical psychologists. Once deployed, participating RCMP officers will be able to complete the required reporting on paid time. Results from the self-report questionnaires and clinical interviews will not be used to evaluate your fitness to be an RCMP Cadet or RCMP Member.
For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Most of the time, participants will enter their survey data through the RCMP Study/Étude GRC mobile app: this is an app that makes entering data easy, interactive, informative, and includes gamification to allow participants to track their activities over time relative to other participants, all to help keep participants engaged and on track.  They will also take part in structured interviews with clinicians in person or over the phone as part of the Full Assessments.

For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

A participant has a right to withdraw from the study at any time. Participation is completely voluntary and that applies for the duration of the Study. If a participant does choose to withdraw, they will be given the opportunity to provide feedback and offer reasoning for the decision and any recommendations to improve the Study going forward. They may also request that the data that they have submitted up to that point be removed from the Study (this may take up to 14 calendar days to complete).

For a full description of withdrawal from the Study, please refer to section 7.1 “Right to Withdraw” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Participants may be removed from the Study due to lack of participation in Full Assessments (the interviews and surveys); inability to wear the biometric devices; or being moved from Depot or the RCMP for non-study related factors such as injury or failing course work.
For a full description of removal from the Study, please refer to section 7.2 “Removal of Participants” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

If technical difficulties are experienced with any Study-specific devices, such as the biometric device, or the Apple Watch or iPhone, there is a Help Desk that can be reached at 1-833-736-9543, locally in Regina at 306-550-7371, or by sending a message through the Study portal or mobile app. For details on the various ways to submit your questions, please refer to section 7.6 “Questions and Concerns” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

No. While we will provide proper care instructions for all of the Study equipment provided, participants will not be responsible to cover the cost for replacement in the unfortunate event of loss or damage.

The Study follows participating cadets from enrollment in training at the RCMP Depot through to graduation and the first five years of deployment. The Study is designed in phases, with the current phase of data collection being completed in approximately 2021. There will be continued work with RCMP officers for their first five years after graduation.

No. Participants will be expected to return all of the associated equipment in reasonable condition once the Study is complete (or if a participant withdraws or is removed from the Study). For a full description of this process, please refer to section 7.3 “Returning Wearable Technology and Support Technology” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training

As the Study unfolds, the anonymized, aggregate results will be available through several channels, including summaries on the project website, and the RCMP website.  Participant responses will be anonymous in all presentations of the research results. The RCMP will post the anonymous, aggregate Study results on InfoWeb for all employees when new results are available and advise on how all employees may learn more.  For a full description of the sharing of Study results, please refer to section 7.5 “Access to Research Results” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

Summaries and reports of the anonymous data may be made available to wider audiences through the websites of the University of Regina, the RCMP, and various academic forums and publications.  For a full description of the sharing of Study results, please refer to section 7.5 “Access to Research Results” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The data collection phase of the Study, including the data gathered from the wearable technology, daily, monthly, and annual surveys, and the structured clinical interviews which take place initially, pre-deployment and annually thereafter, will take approximately 5 and a half years. For a full description of the design of the Study, please refer to section 2.1 “Purpose of the Study” and section 2.2 “Procedures” of the Consent Form. The Consent form is made available to cadets at Depot on the first day of training.

The Study was announced December 8, 2017, implementation began in early 2018, and cadet participation began in April 2019.

Yes, the aggregated survey results will be published by the University of Regina and the RCMP, and made available to the participants and the general public once the data analysis has been completed.

The Study will cost approximately $11 million for the first data collection phase over the next four and a half years.