The assaulted staff action program (ASAP) and declines in assaults: a meta-analysis.

Crisis intervention procedures have been demonstrated to be of assistance in addressing the aftermath of psychological trauma. The Assaulted Staff Action Program (ASAP) is a Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) approach that has been associated with providing needed support to employee victims of patient assaults and sharp reductions in the frequency of assaults in facilities where ASAP has been properly fielded. The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of ASAP in reducing frequency of assault. Results yielded a highly statistically significant Cohen's d of 3.1 and fail safe number of 202. The implications for risk management are discussed.