[Evaluation methods in the work/stress correlations in law enforcement].

Area of Science:

• Occupational health psychology
• Psychological assessment
• Law enforcement studies

Context:

• Police work is recognized as inherently stressful, necessitating effective stress prevention strategies to ensure public safety.
• Existing research suggests Karasek's demand-control-support (DCS) and Siegrist's effort/reward imbalance (ERI) models can explain the relationship between occupational stressors and their consequences.
• This study focuses on police officers involved in public order management during the 2009 G8 summit in L'Aquila.

Purpose:

• To assess stress levels in police officers using the DCS and ERI models.
• To investigate the relationship between occupational stressors, psychological well-being, and absence from work in law enforcement personnel.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the DCS and ERI models in understanding stress in police work.

Summary:

• Despite high alert conditions during the G8 summit, police officers reported low distress levels, with stress comparable to or lower than other worker categories.
• Individual personality profiles did not significantly differ from the general population, but personality was associated with stress response.
• Occupational stress correlated with increased absence from work, and mental disorder prevalence was lower in officers than the general population, though associated with depression, anxiety, and burnout indicators.

Impact:

• The DCS and ERI models are effective and complementary tools for assessing stress in law enforcement.
• Perceived stress is influenced more by coping mechanisms than external events, indicating routine work can be more stressful than critical incidents.
• Special police forces demonstrate high stress resilience due to training and individual officer characteristics, though occupational stress is linked to reduced psychological well-being and higher absenteeism.