Examining the Impact of Social Support on Police Officers’ Mental Health: Insights from Recent Studies

Description

Arjun Singh and Mahesh Kumar Maurya (Department of Psychology, C.M.P. Degree College, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh)

It is not rare that police officers undergo a great amount of psychological stress because being a police officer is very difficult, responsible, and job of providing the safety. The police officers are often exposed to large volumes of work-related stress, which can have a negative impact on their mental health. Some of the issues they face at work include office, field and home issues. In the long run, such employment caused acute and chronic stress, which negatively influenced mental and physical health. This paper examines the effects of social support on the mental health of police officers by their families, colleagues, and society. The support perceived by supervisors and colleagues has been particularly found to be critical in reducing the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in police officers. Off-duty social networks, particularly among friends and relatives, offer police officers the emotional and practical support that is required to cope with the specific situation and demands of their profession. Social support plays a crucial role in the development of mental health of police officers, the creation of a healthy working environment, and the improvement of the overall health of both the organization and its staff. Results indicate that there was a stable negative correlation between perceived social support and psychological distress in police officers and supervisory and peer support were at the centre stage of protection.