NCJ Number
66599
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 54-60
Date Published
1980
Length
7 pages
Annotation
A PREVENTION MODEL, CONSISTING OF INDIVIDUAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES AND PEER-GROUP SUPPORT, IS PROPOSED TO HELP POLICE PERSONNEL COPE WITH MODERATE STRESS LEVELS.
Abstract
SPECIFIC SOURCES OF STRESS TO THE INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICER, AS INDICATED BY RECENT RESEARCH, INCLUDE DEPARTMENT ADMINISTRATION, COURTS, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, EQUIPMENT, LINE OF DUTY/CRISIS SITUATIONS, CHANGING SHIFT ROUTINES, AND ISOLATION/BOREDOM/INACTIVITY. MANIFESTATIONS OF STRESS MAY RANGE FROM ALCOHOLISM, HEART DISORDERS, AND ULCERS TO SEVERE PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS. THE INTERVENTION MODEL, DEVELOPED BY A NUMBER OF POLICE DEPARTMENTS NOTICING HIGH RATES OF ABSENTEEISM, OFF AND ON-DUTY INJURIES, ETC., CONSISTS OF FORMAL AND INFORMAL PSYCHOLOGICAL COUNSELING FOR POLICE IN HIGH-STRESS ROLES, SUFFERS FROM THE DISADVANTAGES OF A 'COUNSELING MODEL,' AND DOES NOT PROVIDE FOR PREVENTIVE MEASURES THAT SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS TO COPE WITH MODERATE STRESS WITHOUT REQUIRING ADMISSION OF A PROBLEM. THE PREVENTION MODEL, PROPOSED TO FILL THIS GAP, IS DIVIDED INTO TWO MAJOR AREAS: 1) INDIVIDUAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES, AND 2) PEER GROUP INTERACTION. INDIVIDUAL CONTROL TECHNIQUES, WELL-SUITED TO THE DYNAMICS OF POLICE WORK AND CAPABLE OF BEING USED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS, INCLUDE SYSTEMATIC RELAXATION, TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION, ZEN, YOGA, AND BIOFEEDBACK. PEER-GROUP INTERACTION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION TRAINING, WHICH WOULD INVOLVE THE ENHANCEMENT OF THE POLICE OFFICERS' ABILITY TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY, TO VERBALIZE FEELINGS IN NONTHREATENING WAYS, TO SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND TO VIEW THEMSELVES AS POTENTIALLY HELPFUL PERSONS TO COLLEAGUES. THE POLICE OFFICER'S FAMILY CAN ALSO PROVIDE PEER-GROUP SUPPORT PRIMARILY BY OPEN COMMUNICATION AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS IN ORDER TO HEIGHTEN AWARENESS OF POLICE WORK STRESSES. EMPIRICAL VALIDATION THROUGH RESEARCH STUDIES OF THE PREVENTION MODEL'S HYPOTHESES IS RECOMMENDED. FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)