Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa
Background: In this study, stress is conceptualised as a psychological syndrome in response to stressors. Stress and inappropriate coping mechanisms constitute a serious problem in police profession. Organisational causes of stress, such as lack of support from management, are additional stressors....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2019-11-01
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| Series: | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1342 |
| _version_ | 1818231335267860480 |
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| author | Makhawukana R.V. Mushwana Indiran Govender Kathryn Nel |
| author_facet | Makhawukana R.V. Mushwana Indiran Govender Kathryn Nel |
| author_sort | Makhawukana R.V. Mushwana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: In this study, stress is conceptualised as a psychological syndrome in response to stressors. Stress and inappropriate coping mechanisms constitute a serious problem in police profession. Organisational causes of stress, such as lack of support from management, are additional stressors. The ability to cope with this stress is influenced by marital status, gender, rank, age and years of service. In managing stress, police officers may use adaptive or maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Aim: To investigate stress and the coping mechanisms used by police officers.
Setting: The study was set in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa.
Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire based on the Police Stress Inventory (PSI) and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) tools.
Results: Of the 104 participants, female police officers had significantly higher stress intensity scores, while constables and captains had statistically significant lower stress scores. The highest ranked stressors were killing someone in the line of duty, a fellow officer killed in the line of duty, and knowledge of and experiencing the death of a fellow officer in the line of duty. The five most frequently occurring stressors were organisational in nature. Respondents were more likely to use coping strategies that were problem-focused.
Conclusion: Organisational stressors were common, suggesting that the South African Police Services (SAPS) management should provide interventions that reduce the effects of work-related stressors. The majority of respondents used problem-focused coping strategies, indicating that most handle stressors in a positive manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T10:48:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e78b8549e2764abc8bc8c888098ef103 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1608-9685 2078-6786 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T10:48:45Z |
| publishDate | 2019-11-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | South African Journal of Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-e78b8549e2764abc8bc8c888098ef1032022-12-22T00:26:49ZengAOSISSouth African Journal of Psychiatry1608-96852078-67862019-11-01250e1e710.4102/sajpsychiatry.v25i0.1342475Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South AfricaMakhawukana R.V. Mushwana0Indiran Govender1Kathryn Nel2Department of Psychology, University of Limpopo, SovengaDepartment of Family Medicine, Sefako Makgatho University, MedunsaDepartment of Psychology, University of Limpopo, SovengaBackground: In this study, stress is conceptualised as a psychological syndrome in response to stressors. Stress and inappropriate coping mechanisms constitute a serious problem in police profession. Organisational causes of stress, such as lack of support from management, are additional stressors. The ability to cope with this stress is influenced by marital status, gender, rank, age and years of service. In managing stress, police officers may use adaptive or maladaptive coping mechanisms. Aim: To investigate stress and the coping mechanisms used by police officers. Setting: The study was set in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire based on the Police Stress Inventory (PSI) and Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (COPE) tools. Results: Of the 104 participants, female police officers had significantly higher stress intensity scores, while constables and captains had statistically significant lower stress scores. The highest ranked stressors were killing someone in the line of duty, a fellow officer killed in the line of duty, and knowledge of and experiencing the death of a fellow officer in the line of duty. The five most frequently occurring stressors were organisational in nature. Respondents were more likely to use coping strategies that were problem-focused. Conclusion: Organisational stressors were common, suggesting that the South African Police Services (SAPS) management should provide interventions that reduce the effects of work-related stressors. The majority of respondents used problem-focused coping strategies, indicating that most handle stressors in a positive manner.https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1342occupational stresscopingorganisational stressorsemotional disconnectionmaladaptive coping strategies |
| spellingShingle | Makhawukana R.V. Mushwana Indiran Govender Kathryn Nel Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa South African Journal of Psychiatry occupational stress coping organisational stressors emotional disconnection maladaptive coping strategies |
| title | Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa |
| title_full | Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa |
| title_short | Stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the South African Police Service based in Tzaneen, Limpopo province, South Africa |
| title_sort | stress and coping mechanisms of officers of the south african police service based in tzaneen limpopo province south africa |
| topic | occupational stress coping organisational stressors emotional disconnection maladaptive coping strategies |
| url | https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1342 |
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