HELPING POLICE OFFICERS COPE WITH STRESS - A COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL APPROACH

• NCJ Number: 52144
• Author(s): I G SARASON; J H JOHNSON; J P BERBERICH; J M SIEGEL
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 27 pages
• Contract Number(s): N0014-75-C-0905
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of the Navy
• Corporate Author: University of Washington
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

EIGHTEEN TRAINEES ENROLLED IN THE SEATTLE, WASH., POLICE ACADEMY IN 1977 PARTICIPATED IN A STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM THAT FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING SKILLS FOR COPING WITH ANXIETY AND ANGER.

Abstract

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM WAS BASED ON SEVERAL ASSUMPTIONS: STRESS FACTORS CONFRONTING POLICE OFFICERS CAN BE CATEGORIZED AS THOSE ELICITING FEAR AND ANXIETY AND THOSE THAT DO NOT; BOTH PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES AND COGNITIVE FACTORS ARE IMPORTANT IN COPING WITH STRESS; AND HIGH LEVELS OF ANXIETY AND ANGER FREQUENTLY INTERFERE WITH PERFORMANCE. THE TRAINEE SAMPLE WAS COMPRISED OF 10 MALES AND 8 FEMALES WHO RANGED IN AGE FROM 22 TO 34 YEARS. TRAINEES WERE RANDOMLY ASSIGNED TO THE STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OR TO A CONTROL CONDITION, WITH THE RESTRICTION THAT THERE BE AN APPROXIMATELY EQUAL NUMBER OF MALES AND FEMALES IN EACH GROUP AND THAT THE NUMBER OF MINORITY MEMBERS IN EACH GROUP BE APPROXIMATELY EQUAL. THE STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM INVOLVED SIX 2-HOUR GROUP SESSIONS THAT WERE CONDUCTED BY AN EXPERIENCED CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGIST. THE SIX SESSIONS DEALT WITH THE NATURE OF STRESS CONFRONTED BY POLICE OFFICERS, THE ROLE OF COGNITIVE FACTORS IN COPING WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS, SELF-MONITORING OF PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE RESPONSES THROUGH ROLE PLAYING, ANGER PROVOCATION AS A MAJOR SOURCE OF STRESS FOR POLICE OFFICERS, STRESS MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS FOR PARTICIPANTS, AND A GENERAL REVIEW OF PROGRAM ELEMENTS. STRONGEST SUPPORT FOR THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROGRAM WAS FOUND FOR OBSERVER RATINGS OF THE MOCK SCENE PERFORMANCE OF TRAINEES. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL GROUPS WERE PARTICULARLY SIGNIFICANT FOR TWO MOCK SCENES INVOLVING THE TRAFFIC STOP AND FIELD INTERROGATION. THE PERFORMANCE OF TRAINEES IN SIMULATED POLICE ACTIVITIES WHO RECEIVED STRESS MANAGEMENT EDUCATION WAS RATED AS SIGNIFICANTLY SUPERIOR TO THOSE WHO HAD NOT RECEIVED SUCH EDUCATION. COPING SKILLS TAUGHT IN THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM, HOWEVER, DID NOT HAVE FACE VALIDITY FOR ALL TRAINEES. REFERENCES AND A LIST OF SELF-STATEMENTS IN ANGER-AROUSING SITUATIONS ARE PROVIDED.