ORIGINAL PAPER
Emotional self-control, coping with stress and psycho-physical well-being of prison officers
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1
Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego / Kazimierz Wielki University, Bydgoszcz, Poland
(Instytut Psychologii, Katedra Społecznej Psychologii Zdrowia, Rehabilitacji i Zarządzania / Institute of Psychology,
Department of Social, Health and Organizational Psychology)
2
Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu / Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, Toruń, Poland
(Collegium Medicum im. Ludwika Rydygiera w Bydgoszczy, Katedra Fizjoterapii / Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz,
Department of Physiotherapy)
3
Zakład Karny w Potulicach / Prison Potulice, Potulice, Poland
Corresponding author
Ewa Sygit-Kowalkowska
Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego,
Instytut Psychologii, Katedra Społecznej Psychologii Zdrowia, Rehabilitacji i Zarządzania, ul. Staffa 2, 85-867 Bydgoszcz
Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2015;66(3):373-82
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ABSTRACT
Background: Mental and physical health status is closely associated with the specific character of work in the structures of the
uniformed services. The aim of the study was to examine how self-control, revealed strategies of coping with stress, sociodemographic
factors differentiate the level of psychological and physical well-being of prison officers, and what is the predictor of
psychological and physical well-being in this occupational group. Material and Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted
in a group of 75 prison officers working in the Prison Potulice Security Department. In the study the following tools were used:
the questionnaire on “Psychosocial working conditions”, popular questionnaire on emotional intelligence (Popularny Kwestionariusz
Inteligencji Emocjonalnej – PKIE), Measure Coping Strategies with Stress (Mini-COPE) and the questionnaire on sociodemographic
variables. Results: A higher level of mental and physical well-being of the subjects was accompanied by a higher level
of declared active coping and a lower level in the range of helplessness, avoidance, turn to religion and sense of humor. Regression
analysis showed that the levels of emotional control, helplessness strategy and support seeking strategies are important predictors
of physical well-being of the dependent variable. As regards the psychological well-being, significant predictors are: the levels of emocjoemotional
control, sense of humor and support seeking. The value of the results is limited due to the methodology used to collect
questionnaires. In our study a random trial was not used as the questionnaires were completed only by individuals interested
in the subject under study. Conclusions: Knowledge about the specificity of the psychophysical characteristics of prison officers
should be taken into account when designing the tools of occupational health promotion. Studies show an average low level of
perceived well-being with a high level of self-control. Med Pr 2015;66(3):373–382