A Brief Exploratory Report of Coping Strategies Among Police Recruits During Academy Training

Abstract

Few longitudinal studies have investigated the use of coping strategies among police recruits. This study investigated perceived life and work stressors, appraisal, and coping over a seven-month police recruit academy training program. Participants were 81 police recruits who completed the Ways of Coping Questionnaire at three time points approximately three months apart. The average age of the recruits was 27.6 years (SD = 5.1, range 20-51). Separate repeated measures analyses of variance were conducted to examine coping scores. Statistically significant decreases, although small, were observed in reported emotion-focused, problem-focused, and seeking social support coping strategies. Results suggested that as police recruits undergo academy training, they rely on fewer coping strategies to deal with life and work stress. More longitudinal studies are needed that assess the methods police recruits utilize to manage stress during academy training. Such results can inform stress management interventions.

Trajectories of Mental Health Status Among Police Recruits in Sweden

“…One study examined the association of mental status of police recruits and periodontal health (29) with other (N = 3) examining the associations of personality and mental health (20,21,31). In other studies coping behaviors of police recruits during training have been examined, suggesting that the training is a potentially stressful environment (32,33), with recruits reporting an increase in alcohol consumption in part to cope with stress (33). However, little remains known about the mental health and symptoms of distress among police recruits.…”

Police Officer Stress and Coping in a Stress-Awareness Era

“…Coping strategies are often classified as adaptive (positive) or maladaptive (negative). They are also sometimes categorized as emotion focused (attempts to regulate emotional responses), problem focused (attempts to change, alter, or solve issues), and seeking support (Patterson, 2016). At least two studies of officers have found the following strategies to be the most commonly used: active coping, planning, and acceptance (Maran et al., 2015; Salinas & Webb, 2018).…”

Backing the Blue in the Midst of COVID-19: Simultaneous Shared Trauma and the Effects of Coping in Law Enforcement Couples

“…Scenario-based training has been found to be the most influential and the most remembered training for police recruits (Broomé 2011;Hundersmarck 2009). Many of these training processes involve the use of problem-focused methods aimed at changing or removing the stressor (Patterson 2016;Lazarus and Folkman 1984;VandenBos 2007). For example, defensive tactics such use-of-force are problem-focused methods aimed to eliminate or curb violent behavior from offenders.…”