NCJ Number
56906
Journal
Psychology Today Volume: 12 Issue: 12 Dated: (MAY 1979) Pages: 58-62
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE IMPACT OF POLICE STRESS ON BOTH THE OFFICERS AND THEIR FAMILIES IS DISCUSSED IN LIGHT OF A SURVEY OF PATROLMEN, DETECTIVES, ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS, AND THEIR WIVES.
Abstract
TWO QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DEVELOPED, ONE FOR THE OFFICERS AND THE OTHER FOR THE WIVES. ABOUT 130 POLICE COUPLES WERE SAMPLED FROM BOTH URBAN AND RURAL PARTS OF CALIFORNIA. THE OFFICERS REPRESENTED ALL RANKS, FROM PATROLMEN TO COMMAND OFFICERS, HAD AN AVERAGE OF 12 YEARS' EXPERIENCE IN POLICE WORK, AND RANGED IN AGE FROM THEIR EARLY 20'S TO LATE 40'S. ALMOST ALL WERE WHITE, HAD AT LEAST ONE CHILD, AND HAD BEEN MARRIED AN AVERAGE OF 10.5 YEARS. THE OFFICERS WERE ASKED ABOUT THEIR WORK SATISFACTION, THEIR FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS, AND WHICH TECHNIQUES THEY EMPLOYED TO COPE WITH STRESS. THE WIVES WERE ASKED TO RATE STATEMENTS ABOUT THEIR HUSBANDS' WORK AND BEHAVIOR AT HOME. NOT SURPRISINGLY, HIGH BURNOUT SCORES WERE ASSOCIATED WITH DOMESTIC STRAINS; THESE STRAINS WERE ABSENT OR MILD IN THE FAMILIES OF LOW SCORERS. POLICE WORKING WITH VERY YOUNG CHILDREN SCORED HIGH ON AN EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION INDEX AND ON THE DIMENSION OF CLOSENESS TO RECIPIENTS, AND LOW ON NEGATIVE FEELINGS TOWARD CHILDREN. THE PICTURE IS REVERSED FOR OFFICERS WHO DEAL FREQUENTLY WITH TEENAGE YOUTH. THE HIGHER AN OFFICER'S SCORE ON THE EMOTIONAL EXHAUSTION SCALE, THE MORE LIKELY HIS WIFE WAS TO REPORT THAT HE COMES HOME FEELING PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED, TENSE, AND UPSET. HIGH BURNOUT COPS REPORT TWICE AS OFTEN AS MORE MODERATELY AFFECTED POLICEMEN THAT THEIR WIVES FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEMS AND STRESSES OF THE JOB. OVER TIME, MANY WIVES REPORT, THEIR HUSBANDS BECOME MORE AGGRESSIVE IN DEALING WITH THEIR FAMILIES AND APPEAR TO MISTRUST THEM MORE. WHEN THE OFFICERS' BURNOUT CAUSES NEGATIVE SELF-EVALUATION, THEIR ISOLATION FROM THEIR FAMILIES AND OTHER PEOPLE BECOMES MORE ACUTE. FACED WITH SUCH PRESSURES, THE OFFICERS TURN TO ALCOHOL, DRUGS, OR OTHER MEASURES. ONE CLEAR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OFFICERS AND THEIR WIVES IS THAT 80 PERCENT OF THE WIVES SEEK OUT ORGANIZED SOCIAL SUPPORT, WHILE ONLY 10 PERCENT OF THE OFFICERS SEEK HELP. (KBL)