Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Doctoral Research Paper

Degree Name

Psy.D.

Organizational Unit

Graduate School of Professional Psychology

First Advisor

Mark Aoyagi

Second Advisor

Jamie Brower

Third Advisor

Tracy Vozar

Keywords

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, BJJl, Law enforcement, PTSD

Abstract

Law enforcement officers (LEO) are more likely to experience symptoms of PTSD when compared to the general population yet are less likely to seek mental health treatment (Jetelina et al., 2020). Given that LEO face unique occupational stressors and repeated exposure to traumatic events, treatment for PTSD among law enforcement populations poses unique challenges for clinicians. The combination of these variables precludes officers from seeking and receiving mental health services. Research regarding the efficacy of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) as a psychotherapeutic intervention is limited. To date, no studies have examined the use of BJJ to mitigate symptoms of PTSD among LEO.

Through an extensive review of existing literature, this article takes a theoretical stance, advocating for further research into the possible psychotherapeutic benefits of BJJ for addressing symptoms of PTSD among LEOs. Based on existing literature, BJJ appears well suited to mitigate PTSD symptomology by facilitating increased self-regulation and fostering resiliency.

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

Extent

37 pgs

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