Year: 2009
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Police officers provide emergency services to the public, while being simultaneously \nexposed to various organisational and social stressors over which they have little or no \ncontrol. The outcome of this may be that highly committed and loyal police officers \nbecome psychologically and physically burned-out. Adversely, others may accept the \nsame conditions and situations as a challenge and live an energetic and proactive life \nwhile experiencing a positive affective state (vigour) toward their duties. Officers who are \nburned-out may fail to meet their goal to protect the public, but eventually may suffer. \nThe general objective of this study was to investigate vigour and burnout as obliquely \nrelated outcomes of the stress and coping process in terms of its dynamic relationship \nwith challenges or threats, and the mediating role of personal factors, social resources \nand coping resources in the police context. \nThe research is a qualitative explication of theoretical concepts and constructs, followed \nby a quantitative empirical survey design. The survey led to a Structural Equation Model \n(SEM) fit between empirical data and the Moos (1994) hypothesised stress and coping \nmodel. Seven measuring instruments were used to collect data. Job demands, work \noverload and uncertainty were identified as causes of work stress originating within the \nwork situation. Respondents indicated that family members play a role in social support, \nalthough it decreases when stress increases. \nThe SEM procedure revealed that social support and personality has a limited and direct \neffect on well-being when experiencing a positive affective state (vigour), with coping \nstrategies deleted from the experimental model. Adversely, stress has a direct effect on well-being (and eventually burnout) with no moderating effects by the hypothesised \nvariables. \nThe study proposes a new Police Vigour and Burnout Model (PVBM) as an alignment \nto the Moos (1994) model. It is recommended that vigour and burnout, as outcomes of \nthe stress and coping process, be included in future studies as obliquely related \nvariables in other spheres of society. An additional proposal is that stress inducing \nfeatures within the police organisation should be scrutinized and critically addressed to \nprevent negative psychological affects.
Author: Gerrit J. Louw
Language: English
Topic: Stress and Burnout Research
Subfield: Social Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W138118390