NCJ Number
62688
Journal
Police Volume: 11 Issue: 11 Dated: (JULY 1979) Pages: 34,35,38
Date Published
1979
Length
3 pages
Annotation
THE SOURCES OF WORK-RELATED STRESS FOR POLICE OFFICERS ARE EXAMINED IN AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF A SAMPLE OF CALIFORNIA OFFICERS.
Abstract
THE STUDY CONSISTED OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVIEWS OF 223 MALE POLICE OFFICERS SEEN FOR EVALUATION AND TREATMENT AT THE WILSHIRE CREST MEDICAL GROUP IN LOS ANGELES FROM JUNE OF 1975 THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF 1978. SUBJECTS WERE LIMITED TO OFFICERS UNDER THE RANK OF SERGEANT. THE OFFICERS SENT TO THE CLINIC WERE BELIEVED TO HAVE WORK-RELATED STRESS. RESULTS SHOW THAT ADMINISTRATIVE LACK OF SUPPORT IS A MUCH MORE POTENT STRESS CATEGORY THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. THIS STRESS CATEGORY STEMMED NOT ONLY FROM LACK OF SUPPORT FROM SUPERVISORS, BUT INCLUDED REACTION TO PERCEPTIONS OF BEING HARRASSED BY A SUPERIOR. WHILE DUTY AND CRISIS SITUATIONS WERE SIGNIFICANT SOURCES OF STRESS, SUCH SITUATIONS TENDED TO BE MANAGED WELL BECAUSE OF ANTICIPATION THAT THEY WOULD BE PART OF THE JOB. ANOTHER MAJOR STRESS ON OFFICERS IS EMOTIONAL REACTION TO INJURY. INJURY TENDED TO MAKE OFFICERS AWARE OF THEIR VULNERABILITY. INJURY APPEARED TO BE A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO AN IMAGE OF INVINCIBILITY. THIS WAS FURTHER AGGRAVATED IN SOME CASES BY SUPERVISORS' BELIEFS THAT THE INJURED OFFICERS WERE 'MALINGERING.' THE MAJOR STRESSORS DISCOVERED AND THEIR FREQUENCY ARE LISTED, AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)