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Journal of Behavioral Health and Psychology

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Using Behavioral Skills Training to Teach Compassionate Care to Military Police: A Pilot Study

Jeridith Lord, Val Demiri, Mary Jane Weiss, Jessica L. Piazza, Cristin Shanahan.

Abstract

This paper examines the use of Behavioral Skills Training (BST) to teach compassionate care to military police, aiming to increase compassionate interactions with survivors of interpersonal partner violence (IPV). Despite a high volume of IPV reports, military police receive limited training in compassionate responses, risking potential retraumatization for survivors. Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design (NMBD), this pilot study followed three participants as they completed a six-week intervention, combining didactic learning modules, modeling, roleplay, and feedback to improve compassionate responses. Compassionate care skills were assessed during baseline, intervention, and maintenance phases. Results indicate preliminary evidence of moderate improvement in compassionate care responses suggesting BST may exert differential effects depending on contextual factors. While compassionate care skills can be taught, sustained practice requires systemic support to accommodate challenging environments. These findings underscore the potential value of expanding compassionate care training within military police contexts to promote trauma-informed responses and reduce barriers for survivors seeking justice, though further research is warranted to establish generalizability and long-term outcomes.