NCJ Number
216518
Journal
Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 2006 Pages: 37-54
Date Published
2006
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether "stress hardiness" (ability to think creatively and perform well under stressful circumstances) moderated the relationship between stress and anger during stressful police academy training.
Abstract
The study found a relationship between dysphoria (general feelings of anxiety and discontent) and anger, but a person's ability to manage and thrive under stress full circumstances did not moderate this relationship. A discussion of this finding notes that a number of other personality dimensions have been proposed as buffers for stress, including level of self-esteem, irrational thinking, and optimism. The authors recommend that future research consider a multivariate model of resiliency under stress. Study participants were 52 police officer cadets from a large metropolitan police department. Each candidate had undergone thorough psychological testing, a background examination, and an extensive interview. Stress hardiness was assessed with the Personal Views Survey III-Revised, which measures commitment, challenge, and control combined into a score for "total hardiness." Anger was measured with the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2. It measures the control, expression, or experience of anger in particular situations as well as a response style or tendency toward anger. The Multiple Adjective Checklist-Revised and the dysphoria composite score of this scale were used as a proxy for stress. Hierarchical multiple regression was used as the primary analysis. 7 tables, 1 figure, and 36 references