Training for the job: evaluation of a self-defence training programme for correctional officers

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<p>We investigated to what extent correctional officers were able to apply skills from their self-defence training in reality-based scenarios. Performance of nine self-defence skills were tested in different scenarios at three moments: before starting the self-defence training programme (Pre-test), halfway through (Post-test 1), and after (Post-test 2). Repeated measures analyses showed that performance on skills improved after the self-defence training. For each skill, however, there was a considerable number of correctional officers (range 4–73%) that showed insufficient performance on Post-test 2, indicating that after training they were not able to properly apply their skills in reality-based scenarios. Reality-based scenarios may be used to achieve fidelity in assessment of self-defence skills of correctional officers.</p><p><b>Practitioner summary:</b> Self-defence training for correctional officers must be representative for the work field. By including reality-based scenarios in assessment, this study determined that correctional officers were not able to properly apply their learned skills in realistic contexts. Reality-based scenarios seem fit to detect discrepancies between training and the work field. </p><p><b>Abbreviations:</b> DJI: Dutch National Agency for Correctional Insitutes; ICC: Intraclass Correlation Coefficient.</p>

Reference Koedijk, M., Renden, P. G., Oudejans, R. R. D., & Hutter, R. I. (2019). Training for the job: evaluation of a self-defence training programme for correctional officers. Ergonomics, 62(12), 1585-1597. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2019.1677947
Published by  Urban Vitality 1 January 2019

Publication date

Jan 2019

Author(s)

Matthijs Koedijk
Peter G. Renden
R. I. (Vana) Hutter

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