M.Cur. (Curriculum Studies) / The aim of this study is to determine whether training in stress management through primary mental health education has a positive effect on the learning of effective stress management techniques. This study was carried out on a group of police officers. In an experimental investigation the following method of stress management was used, namely a primary mental health education programme. An at-risk population in the society was identified namely the South African Police Force, and sixty four people from the target population of one hundred and twenty eight candicate-officers 'were selected for this study. A survey of the target population was done and these sampling units met the following criteria: they were all white warrant officers in training in the South.African Police Force from the same level of training, who had all obtained a national diploma in police administration. These members were representatives from throughout South-Africa making it a national study. Their ages ranged from twenty to fifty years of age....

Occupational stress, intrinsic motivation and job engagement are areas of importance for today’s management. The main objective of this study was to explore the combined effect of occupational stress and intrinsic motivation in determining job engagement in the South African Police Service. Moreover, the study investigated the relationship between occupational stress, intrinsic motivation and job engagement. The study also sought to enquire into the effects rank and gender has on the study variables. A quantitative approach was adopted. A structured self – administered questionnaire comprising of four sections: biographical information, police stress questionnaire, intrinsic motivation inventory and job engagement scale was used to collect data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to analyse data, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized. The results revealed a negative relationship between occupational stress and job engagement. A positive relationship between intrinsic motivation and job engagement was also found. There was no combined effect of occupational stress and intrinsic motivation on job engagement. Lastly, no significant differences in the way police experience stress were found among rank and gender. The researcher concluded that even when police officers are under great amounts of stress they are still engaged in their jobs. Where levels of intrinsic motivation were high for the police officers, so were the levels of job engagement. Demographic variables did not yield any significant relationships to the study variables. These findings are of significance in creating a police force which is productive and meets the goals and objectives of the South African Police Service.

M.A. / The South African Police Service (SAPS) has an immense responsibility in terms of providing a safe and secure environment for every individual residing in South Africa. Members of this organisation conduct their duties under difficult and often dangerous conditions. These taxing working conditions add tremendous stress to the lives of police officials (Violanti, 1997). The stressors faced by police officials may vary with regard to frequency and intensity. Stressors associated with the working environment may spill over into their personal lives and may also lead to negativity at work which can also affect the quality of service that should be provided by police officials in South Africa. Various factors can be implicated in the stress process (Sulsky & Smith, 2005). Specific ways of coping have been identified in previous and current literature (Suls & Fletcher, 1985; Swanepoel & Pienaar, 2004). The present study focused on identifying a relationship between personality and coping. The coping styles that South African police officials employ also received some attention. Personality was defined as characteristics of the person that account for consistent patterns of feelings, thinking and behaviour. This study focused on the Five Factor Model in the conceptualisation and understanding of personality. The main aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between personality and coping amongst members of the SAPS. Each participant (N = 125) completed a consent form, a biographical questionnaire, the Coping Orientations to Problems Experienced questionnaire (COPE; Carver et al., 1989) and the Basic Traits Inventory (Taylor & De Bruin, 2006). The first research question related to coping strategies South African police officials employ. The second research question focused on what the relationship between the individual Big Five personality traits (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism) and the coping styles (Problem-focused Coping, Emotion-focused Coping and Dysfunctional Coping) of police officials in South Africa.A non-experimental survey design was implemented in this study. Differential and inferential statistics were used to identify the most commonly used coping strategies and the relationship that exists between coping and personality. Examination of the individual personality traits in relation to coping was done through the use of Pearson’s product-moment correlations. The data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, version 15). The results indicated that Extroversion (r = 0.27; p < 0.01), Conscientiousness (r = 0.31; p < 0.01), Agreeableness (r = 0.40; p < 0.01) and Openness to Experience (r = 0.45; p < 0.01) had statistically significant positive relationships with Problem-focused Coping. Neuroticism (r = 0.39; p < 0.01) showed a statistically significant positive correlation with Dysfunctional Coping. Openness to Experience (r = 0.23; p < 0.05) and Agreeableness (r = 0.35; p < 0.01) displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with Emotion-focused Coping. Results in this study indicate that members of the SAPS lean towards using Problemfocused and Emotion-focused strategies rather than Dysfunctional Coping strategies. This study has implications for organisations such as the SAPS as it shed light on the different ways in which individuals are predisposed to cope with stress. It also highlights the influence of personality in the stress process and offers insight into possible ways in which individuals generally cope with stress.

The aim of this study was to determine whether coping strategies of police officers help moderate the outcome of burnout resulting from job stress. The nature of the job demands of police officers is such that they may experience high levels of stress. A convenience sample (N = 89: n Males = 58; n Female = 29) of police officers in police stations in the Eastern Cape was surveyed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey, Police Stress Inventory and COPE questionnaire were administered. Results for all the participants indicate that when the occupational stressor Lack of Resources occurs police officers implement Avoidance Coping (COPE) as a strategy, which leads to the experience of Exhaustion. Results also indicate that police officers use Active Coping, Cognitive Coping and Turning to Religion as means of moderating the stress-burnout relationship. Results also show that the coping strategy Avoidance Coping, used by male officers lead to Cynicism. When female police officers experience Job Demands and a Lack of Resources they make use of Seeking Emotional Support as a coping strategy. Male police officers were shown to make use of Active Coping as a strategy to regulate the stress-burnout relationship while female police officers implemented Active Coping and Turning to Religion to act as a buffer between job stress and burnout.

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts (Counselling Psychology) in the Department of Psychology, University of Zululand, South Africa, 2004. / The present study examined Public Order Police Officers' perceptions of traumatic symptomatology. The study consists of three aims. The first aim was to ascertain the type of traumatic symptomatology members of the Public Order Police experience. The second aim was to determine whether rank has an influence on perceptions of traumatic symptomatology. The third aim was to establish if a relationship existed between experiences of traumatic symptomatology and the respondent characteristics of gender, age or work experience. The study revealed that half of the sample experienced stress as a type of symptomatology. It was also found that: 43% experienced depression; 29% experienced psychosomatic complaints; 28% experienced family and marital problems; 26% experienced alcohol or drug abuse; 25% experienced aggressive behaviour; and 22% of the Public Order Police experienced suicide as a type of traumatic symptomatology. This study also found that no relationship existed between: police rank, gender, length of service and traumatic symptomatology. The only relationship that existed in this study was between age and Public Order Police Officers' perceptions of traumatic symptomatology. The general consensus in literature is that the expression of personal feelings is severely limited within the police culture (Joyce, 1989; Kroes, 1985; Pogrebin & Poole, 1991; Burgers, 1994). The police culture may influence the manner in which police officers respond to traumatic events, family members, the community and psychological treatment To add to the problem, many officers fear asking for help. The creed of the male-dominated police profession reflects a predominantly macho attitude; police officers perceive themselves as problem solvers, not people with problems (Reiser, 1974). It can be argued in this study that untreated trauma can be manifested through subtle traumatic symptoms if psychological treatment is not sought. The findings of this study highlight the need for these members to be counselled to benefit themselves, family and the community.

M. Tech.Labour Relations / The South African Police Service (SAPS) will not be able to function if Constables fail to perform their duties efficiently and effectively. Constables are the face and hands of the SAPS at societal level, but face severe challenges and obstacles in their jobs. It is therefore critically important that they are satisfied in their employment relationships with their immediate supervisors. The researcher believes that many forms of undesirable organisational behaviour among Constables in the SAPS could be related to low levels of satisfaction in their employment relationships with their immediate supervisors. The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the employment relationship satisfaction of a group of Constables in the SAPS: Tshwane region. The investigation will focus on levels of employment relationship satisfaction and the significance of differences in employment relationship satisfaction levels of constables with different biographical characteristics (e.g. race, age, gender, language, marital status, length of service, qualifications)

The present study examined the relationships between the emotional effects of chronic stress at work (burnout) and the quality of family interactions. A systemic approach was adopted, leading to the use of the concept of spillover to describe the transmission of effects across the work-home interface. The relationship between burnout and family life was expected to be moderated by frequency of coping strategies and by size of social support network. Data was gathered from questionnaires distributed to married policemen and their wives in 13 stations and units in the Natal Midlands region of the SAPS. The fmal sample consisted of 84 policemen and 74 of their wives. The data was analyzed using Pearson product-moment correlation, stepwise multiple regression, non-parametric tests, and content analysis of the free comment part of the questionnaire. The results of the study showed this sample of policemen to be experiencing relatively high levels of burnout and this was manifest particularly in terms of a diminished sense of personal accomplishment and feelings of negative self-evaluation. Specific sources of discontent for the policemen were frustrations with an unresponsive police hierarchy, low wages, and disruption to family life caused by overtime and irregular hours. Further results showed that those policemen experiencing the highest frequencies of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation were more likely to bring their work-related strain home with them in the form of upset and angry feelings, physical exhaustion, and complaints about problems at work. This process of Work-to-Home Spillover significantly predicted Quality of Family Life for the wives of such policemen. No moderator effects were shown for coping or social support, although those policemen with greater numbers of supporters were also more likely to experience a greater sense of personal accomplishment. These results were discussed in terms of the burnout and spillover literature, and were evaluated with due regard for the present socio-political context in South Africa. Recommendations were made pertaining to the provision of psychological services to SAPS members and their families, and to the need to eliminate the stigma attached to using such services. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of Natal, 1966.

In South Africa the extraordinary high levels of violence and crime, escalating execution and killings of police officers, large number of murders, hijacking, robberies and shootings have created an unusually dangerous and stressful working environment for the members of the South African Police Services (SAPS). An overview of the literature on the nature of work in the SAPS indicates that these working conditions might have a detrimental effect on the coping resources and sense of coherence of police officers. This study aimed to explore and describe the coping resources and sense of coherence of male police officers in the SAPS. It employed a quantitative exploratory descriptive research design, making use of non-probability convenience sampling. The sample consisted of 70 male police officers who have been in the service of the SAPS for at least two years. All police officers that were included in the sample were also shift workers defined by the SAPS as police officers who work unsociable hours and who are likely to be exposed to violence, risks, danger, and traumatic situations. A further inclusion criterion was that the police officers must not be subjected to possible relocation or transfer as stipulated in Resolution 7/2002. The Coping Resources Inventory (CRI) was employed to identify the coping resources used by the participants and the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOC- 29) was utilised as a measure of the participants’ sense of coherence. A biographical questionnaire collated important demographic and background information. The data was analysed by computing descriptive statistics. To examine the relationship between the sense of coherence and coping resources of the participants, a multiple correlation xv between the total score of the SOC-29 and the subscales of the CRI was conducted. Following this, a Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was utilised to intercorrelate the total score of the SOC-29 and the individual subscales of the CRI. The results of the present study indicated the followings: The SOC-29 revealed relatively low scores for the current sample. Results on the CRI revealed low average scores for both the total and all five scales. The correlational analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between the two measures for the current sample.

Thesis (MA) -- University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The effects that a traumatic event can have on an individual and the high crime rate in South Africa (SA) were grounds for this two-phase study investigating Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity within the South African Police Service (SAPS). Two aims of the study were to investigate the relationship of six variables with the outcome variable (PTSD symptom severity) and to construct a regression model that could be used to predict levels ofPTSD symptom severity amongst SAPS members. A third aim was to construct a current list of duty-related stressors that SAPS members face. Phase one comprised 19 officers compiling a duty-related stress list that would form the basis of the stressor questionnaire in phase two. Phase two comprised 97 officers in 12 stations in the West Metropol completing a battery of questionnaires, including the PTSD Symptom Scale: Self-Report Version (Foa, Riggs, Dancu, & Rothbaum, 1993), the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (Folkman & Lazarus, 1988), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet, & Farley, 1988), an extent of service experience questionnaire, and the duty-related stress list. The results from the regression model showed perceived social support to have significant beneficial effects on PTSD symptom severity as did emotion-focused coping. Problem-focused coping was found to exacerbate PTSD symptom severity. Regression model 1 and regression model 2 were found to not significantly predict the outcome variable and the model of best fit was suggested. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die uitwerking wat 'n traumatiese gebeurtenis op 'n individu kan he en die hoe misdaadsyfer in Suid-Afrika (SA) was die beweegredes agter 'n tweefasige studie na die ernstigheid van die simptome van posttraumatiese stresversteuring (PTSV) in die Suid- Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD). Die doel van die studie was om die verwantskap van ses veranderlikes met die uitkomsveranderlike te ondersoek en om 'n regressiemodel te skep wat gebruik kan word om die vlak van ernstigheid van PTSV-simptome by SAPD-Iede te voorspel. 'n Derde doel was om 'n bygewerkte lys van die werksverwante stressors wat SAPD-Iede in die gesig staar, saam te stel. In fase een het 19 polisiebeamptes 'n werksverwante streslys saamgestel wat as grondslag vir die stressorvraelys van fase twee gedien het. Fase twee het die voltooiing van 'n reeks vraelyste deur 97 beamptes van 12 stasies in die Wes-Metropool behels. Vraelyste het die volgende ingesluit: die PTSVsirnptoomskaal: self-aanmeldingsweergawe (Foa, Riggs, Daneu & Rothbaum, 1993), die maniere-van-hantering-vraelys (Folkman & Lazarus, 1998), die multidimensionele skaal van waargenome sosiale ondersteuning (Zimet, Dahlem, Zimet & Farley, 1998), 'n vraelys oor die mate van dienservaring, en die stresvraelys. Die uitslae van die regressiemodel het getoon dat waargenome sosiale ondersteuning, asook emosioneelgefokusde hantering, 'n betekenisvolle voordelige uitwerking op die ernstigheid van PTSV -sirnptome het. Daar is gevind dat probleemgefokusde hantering die ernstigheid van PTSV-simptome vererger. Regressiemodel 1 en die gewysigde regressiemodel 2 het nie die uitkomsveranderlike betekenisvol voorspel nie en die model wat die meeste van pas was, is aanbeveel.

Postal survey research was conducted between September and November, 1986, to gather information concerning the evolution, existence and extent of mental health services available to police personnel. Questionnaires were mailed to all 366 municipal, county, and state police agencies in the United States that employed 200 or more workers. Usable data were obtained from 76.8% of the agencies surveyed. Of the 281 respondents who returned usable data, 65.1% reported the existence of mental health services available to their police personnel. The majority of respondents (58.6%) perceived their mental health programs as being equally reactive and preventive in orientation. The most frequently reported existing components were outside agency counseling, stress management seminars, and testing of potential police recruits. Over half (54.8%) of the responding police agencies reported having between 10 and 19 components in their respective mental health programs. The implementation dates and evolution of twenty-five (25) components were examined, and specific components of various police agencies were also revealed. The majority of respondents (70.7%) reported their mental health programs were available to sworn and nonsworn personnel and their families. Almost all respondents (98.3%) viewed their programs as being cost effective. Also, most agencies were satisfied with the four treatment resources listed, which included in-house counseling, outside agency counseling, hospital in-patient programs, and alcohol/drug rehabilitation centers. Slightly over half (50.8%) of the respondents stated their service programs were entitled "Employee Assistance Program." Of the 300 staff workers holding mental health degrees, 101 were reported to have doctoral degrees in psychology. The most frequently reported personality theory utilized by staff members was eclecticism (48.5%). The prevailing high interest in police mental health services is discussed as well as possible reasons why some police managers may be apathetic towards the implementation of such services. Ways of educating police managers as to the benefits of police mental health programs are listed as well as topics for future research.