Historical group debriefing after combat exposure

Background: Studies of group debriefing after extreme events have failed to show a significant long-term effect of this technique. However, the heterogeneity of the interventions studied and the length of time between debriefing and its assessment do not allow a proper interpretation of these findings. Objective: This study evaluates the immediate effect of debriefing in Israeli soldiers exposed to combat. Method: Six small units (N = 39) have undergone historical group debriefing within 72 hours of exposure. State anxiety, self-efficacy, and combat evaluation were measured before and immediately after the sessions. Results: Debriefing was followed by reduction in anxiety, improvement in self-efficacy, and increased homogeneity of the group. Conclusion: These effects may be attributable to enhancing group cohesion or to a proper beneficial effect of debriefing.