NCJ Number
145652
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 21 Issue: 4 Dated: (1993) Pages: 411- 417
Date Published
1993
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The use of coping strategies was examined in 143 police recruits subjected to high-stress training in a resident police academy.
Abstract
The research used measures of coping and personal distress under ostensibly uniform stress conditions. Results revealed that police recruits used a variety of coping strategies to deal with police academy stress, including responses that have the potential to become either adaptive or maladaptive to occupational functioning. The recruits who obtained high scores for personal distress tended to use maladaptive styles of coping significantly more often than those who had lower distress scores. Findings suggest that the magnitude of personal distress may be an important factor in determining which array of coping techniques is used by an individual. Results indicated that police facilities should consider testing alternative training methods to determine which are more effective in helping recruits to cope more efficiently with stress and to function satisfactorily in training. Table and 31 references (Author abstract modified)