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.
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