Social and Legal Studios

Abstract

The article deals with theoretical and methodological analysis of stress factors that influence the employees of the National Police of Ukraine during their professional tasks execution, discusses the methodological substantiation of the experimental study of stress resistance, and reveals the main directions of the research. The determinants of stress resistance, structural components of the individual and the influence of individual and psychological properties of the individual as a subject of the activity on the ways of constructing behavioral strategies for stress management in risky and stressful conditions of the activity are considered. The understanding of the relations between stress resistance and the individual and psychological characteristics is analyzed. It is argued that the activities of the National Police staff of Ukraine are carried out in extremely difficult conditions, namely: an unstable political and economic situation in the state, an aggressive environment of communication, extreme and risk-taking, always a shortage of time, a high level of responsibility for the results of the activities. It is revealed that the problem of stress experience is extremely relevant, and the ability to overcome it and cope with it is transformed into a frontal problem. It is noted that the lack of psycho-emotional preparedness of the policemen leads to the poor quality of operational tasks performance, wounds, and sometimes their deaths. Among a number of stress factors that negatively affect the psycho-emotional state of the police officers, the following ones are isolated: seizure of hostages by terrorists; confrontation with an armed criminal; apprehending a dangerous perpetrator; getting mutilation or injury while performing professional functions; constant interaction with criminality; a high level of responsibility for the decision taken in conditions of information uncertainty; stressfulness and riskiness of performed functions; tension in communicating with objects of professional activity; the use of measures of physical coercion or weapon for defeat. The model of professional stress of employees of the National Police of Ukraine, which consists of three blocks: external stress factors; internal stress factors, physiological and psychological manifestations of professional stress is presented. The level of professional stress among law-enforcement officers is analyzed, and three latent factors, which have a significant influence on the personality of the policeman and their reaction to stress, are distinguished. The need for anti-stress programs for the employees of the National Police of Ukraine is highlighted. It is revealed that the complex problem of prevention and overcoming of the phenomenon of professional stress of the employees of the National Police of Ukraine anticipates a usual provision of psychological support realization with the use of interactive techniques

Keywords: employees of the National Police of Ukraine, professional stress, psychological determinants of professional stress, coping strategies, special conditions of activity, extreme situations, stress factors

Suggested citation