NOTE ON THE APPLICATION OF STRESS RESEARCH FINDINGS TO PROBLEMS OF POLICE JOB STRESS (FROM JOB STRESS AND THE POLICE OFFICER - PROCEEDINGS OF SYMPOSIUM, 1975 BY W H KROES, J J HURRELL, JR - SEE NCJ-43642)

• NCJ Number: 43653
• Author(s): H L SHEPPARD
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 4 pages
• Corporate Author: Superintendent of Documents, GPO
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: THE SYMPOSIUM WAS HELD IN CINCINNATI, OHIO ON MAY 8 & 9, 1975, AND CHAIRED BY DR WILLIAM H KROES

Annotation

STUDIES ON JOB STRESS AND ITS SOURCES ARE REVIEWED, WITH SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE RELEVANCE OF RESEARCH FINDINGS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF STRESS ALLEVIATION AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS FOR POLICE OFFICERS.

Abstract

PHYSIOLOGICAL DISORDERS OFTEN CAN BE TRACED TO PSYCHOSOCIAL FACTORS, MANY OF WHICH ARISE FROM WORKING CONDITIONS. RECOGNITION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STRESS POTENTIAL OF SUCH WORK ELEMENTS AS POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS, SHIFT WORK, POSITION IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL HIERARCHY, RESOURCE ADEQUACY, AND TIME IN COURT IS MORE LIKELY IF IT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED THAT SUCH WORK ELEMENTS AFFECT HEALTH STATUS. A STUDY OF WHITE MALE BLUE-COLLAR WORKERS FOUND THAT CERTAIN DIFFERENCES IN THE JOBS HELD BY DISCONTENTED AND CONTENTED WORKERS HAD TO DO WITH VARIETY, AUTONOMY, INITIATIVE, AND PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES. OTHER RESEARCH FINDINGS OFFER EPIDEMIOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH STATUS. ANOTHER STUDY SUGGESTS THAT THE PERSONNEL SELECTION MODEL (FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE RIGHT JOB) MAY BE INADEQUATE, PARTICULARLY IF THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF THE WORK EXPERIENCE ON THE INDIVIDUAL IS IGNORED. ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSES POINT TO THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF FAILURE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON JOB PERFORMANCE. FINDINGS OF ABOVE-AVERAGE RATES OF HYPERTENSION IN TAXI DRIVERS AND FRONT-LINE SOLDIERS MAY HAVE IMPLICATIONS FOR POLICE OFFICERS. RATHER THAN BEING FOCUSED ON THE QUESTION OF WHETHER POLICE EXPERIENCE GREATER STRESS THAN DO WORKERS IN OTHER OCCUPATIONS, ATTENTION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE PHENOMENON OF HETEROGENEITY WITHIN TASK ATTRIBUTES (IN TERMS OF STRESSORS) REGARDLESS OF OCCUPATION.