Coping strategies in the South African police service

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the internal consistency, construct validity, structural equivalence and item bias of the COPE, and to determine the differences between coping strategies of various demographic groups in the South African Police Service. A cross-sectional survey design was used. A random, stratified sample (N = 1431) was taken of police members in eight South African provinces. The COPE and a biographical questionnaire were administered. Four internally consistent factors were extracted, namely Approach Coping, Avoidance, Seeking Emotional Support and Turning to Religion. These factors showed structural equivalence for police members of all race groups and no items were biased. Differences in coping strategies were found for different ranks and races.<p><strong>Opsomming</strong> <br />Die doelstelling van hierdie studie was om die interne konsekwentheid, konstrukgeldigheid, strukturele ekwivalensie en itemsydigheid van die COPE-vraelys te bepaal en om verskille tussen die coping-strategieë van verskillende demografiese groepe in die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens te bepaal. ’n Dwarssnee opname-ontwerp is gebruik. ’n Ewekansige gestratifiseerde steekproef (N = 1431) is van polisielede in agt provinsies van Suid-Afrika geneem. Die COPE en ’n biografiese vraelys is afgeneem. Vier intern konsekwente faktore, naamlik Benaderings-coping, Vermyding, Soeke na Emosionele Ondersteuning en Keer-na-Religie is onttrek. Hierdie faktore het strukturele ekwivalensie vir alle rassegroepe getoon en geen items was sydig nie. Verskille rakende coping-strategieë is vir verskillende rang en rasse gevind.</p&gt

Critical Incidents Impact Management Among South African Police Service Officers

“…Discrepancies have also been found between the use of emotion-focused (dealing with the emotional suffering) and problem-focused (facing the situations encountered) coping strategies among SAPS officers (Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003). While the officers rely on the use of emotion-focused strategies (Kgalema, 2002;Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003), it was also discovered that problem-focused strategies are preferred over emotion-focused ones (Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003).…”

“…While the officers rely on the use of emotion-focused strategies (Kgalema, 2002;Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003), it was also discovered that problem-focused strategies are preferred over emotion-focused ones (Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003).…”

“…Even though there were common coping strategies found among police officers from different races and cultural groups, there were also differences in the strategies of active coping, avoidance, seeking emotional support and turning to religion. Cross-and inter-cultural comparisons of coping strategies in this questionnaire were recommended for future studies (Pienaar & Rothmann, 2003).…”

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Brief COPE with a Sample of Kenyan Caregivers

“…However, there exists very little research on how caregivers for family members with HIV/AIDS in Kenya cope with the demands and added burden of providing care in such difficult circumstances. A search of existing literature produced several studies conducted in South Africa that utilized the Brief COPE in English only (Olley et al 2003(Olley et al , 2004(Olley et al , 2005 and the original COPE (Pienaar and Rothmann 2003;Pienaar et al 2007;Wiese et al 2003). Egisdottir et al (2008) caution against assuming that instruments developed for one culture are appropriate for use and will yield valid findings when used with a different cultural group.…”

Job insecurity and the emotional and behavioural consequences thereof

“…Higher scores indicate that the particular coping strategy is more likely to be applied in a stressful situation. Pienaar and Rothmann (2003) found alpha coefficients varying from 0,83 to 0,92 for the COPE scales. …”