2013, Volume 19, Issue 1

Sense of Coherence and Stress-Coping Strategies in Officers of Different Police Force Divisions

Janina MACIEJCZYK¹, Przemysław LISZKA²
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¹Faculty of Psychology, University of Finance and Management in Warsaw
²Faculty of Psychology,, University of Finance and Management in Warsaw


Autor korenspondencyjny: Janina MACIEJCZYK; Faculty of Psychology, University of Finance and Management in Warsaw; email: Janka.123[at]interia.pl

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Introduction.The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between the sense of coherence and stress-coping strategies preferred by the officers of different police force divisions.Methods.Sense of coherence was examined using Antonovsky’s life orientation questionnaire (SOC-29), while stress-coping capabilities were examined by the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) by N.S. Endler and J.D.A. Parker. A total of 94 male police offi cers serving in different force divisions, i.e. prevention police, traffic police and criminal police, were studied. Results. Policemen with a higher sense of coherence tend to choose problem-focused stresscoping strategies more often. Differences in the sense of coherence and stress-coping strategies were demonstrated between the officers of different police forces.Discussion. The obtained data confirm the results presented in the literature of the subject suggesting that individuals with a high sense of coherence prefer the problem-focused stress-coping strategy, while individuals with a low sense of coherence tend to choose emotion-focused and avoidance-focused strategies. Conclusions.1. High sense of coherence is positively correlated to the problem-focused strategy of stress management and negatively related with the emotion-focused and avoidance focused strategies of stress management. 2. Officers serving in different police forces tend to present different levels of the sense of coherence. Prevention police officers are characterized by the highest sense of coherence as compared to traffic police officers and criminal police officers. 3. Officers serving in different police forces tend to prefer different stress-coping strategies. Problem-focused stress-coping strategies are chosen most often by prevention police officers and traffic police officers.

Słowa kluczowe

sense of coherence, police forces, stress-coping strategies