ORIGINAL PAPER
Chronic fatigue and strategies of coping with occupational stress in police officers
 
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1
Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego / Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland (Instytut Psychologii, Zakład Psychopatologii i Diagnozy Klinicznej / Institute of Psychology, Departament of Psychopathology and Clinical Diagnosis)
 
2
Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego / Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland Instytut Psychologii, Zakład Psychopatologii i Diagnozy Klinicznej / Institute of Psychology, Departament of Psychopathology and Clinical Diagnosis
 
 
Corresponding author
Ewa Stępka   

Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego, Instytut Psychologii, Zakład Psychopatologii i Diagnozy Klinicznej, ul. Staffa 1, 85-867 Bydgoszcz
 
 
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2014;65(2):229-38
 
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ABSTRACT
Background: Work as one of the most important activities in human life is related to stressful and difficult situations. Police officers make one of the many occupational groups that are particularly threatened by contact with a number of stressors. Therefore, their strategies of coping with stress are particularly important, because they play an important role in their functioning at work. The nature of the service as well as shift work and psychological costs incurred by police officers contribute to the emergence of chronic fatigue. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of chronic fatigue in police officers and its relationship with the strategies of coping with occupational stress. Material and Methods: A group of 61 police officers was examined. The following research methods were used: 1) Latack Coping Scale examining stress coping strategies at work (positive thinking, direct action, avoidance/resignation, seeking help, alcohol or stimulants use); 2) Mood Assessment Questionnaire CIS-20R examining the level of chronic fatigue and its components (subjective feeling of fatigue, impaired attention and concentration, reduced motivation, reduced activity); 3) Personal questionnaire providing socio-demographic data. Results: It was found that the level of chronic fatigue in the group of the examined police officers was high (sten 8th). The most often used strategies of coping with stress were direct action and positive thinking, and the least often used strategy was the use of alcohol and stimulants. A significant negative correlation between the general level of chronic fatigue and the avoidance/ resignation strategy was found. Conclusions: The results indicate that chronic fatigue is a problem affecting police officers and it is related to the stress coping strategies used. Med Pr 2014;65(2):229–238
eISSN:2353-1339
ISSN:0465-5893
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