Abstract
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) frequently report symptoms consistent with positive screens for one or more mental health disorders (65%), but RCMP cadets evidence a much lower prevalence (7.3%) prior to deployment. The differences in mental health between cadets and experienced RCMP implicates mental health challenges to be related to service experiences; however, less is known about how mental health changes during the first year of service. The current study examines changes in mental health during the first year of service. At 1-year follow-up, participants (n = 181; 72.8% male) reported higher symptom severity (ds = .09 to .53, all ps < .05) and positive screens (Zs = .05 to 3.32, all ps < .001) for posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and social anxiety disorder than at pre-deployment. The current results substantiate RCMP mental health challenges begin to develop as early as the first year of service, underscoring the need for continuous evidence-based supports and assessments.
