Stress management for police personnel

Police personnel given stress management interventions respond better when a combination of physical and mental therapies are given than where just relaxation techniques are used. Research published this month in the Pertanika Journal of Social Science and Humanities uses volunteer police personnel and shows significant differences between two groups, given either multidimensional or relaxation therapies.

Police work can place officers in situations where reaction, speed, coordination and the capacity to make rapid decisions and accurate judgements under pressure is critical. If not managed, stress can significantly impair these abilities. Ranta R S from the Institute of Integrated Himalayan Studies devised stress and anger management techniques based on Indian psychological models and which included yoga and meditational techniques. 80 participants were chosen from different ranks of volunteer police personnel and divided into two groups. One group was given interventions across the physical and mental spectrum while the other received just physical relaxation. Given the importance of effective stress management for police, the researcher hopes the findings will be replicated in further studies.

More information:
Ranta, R. Stress and Anger Management among Police Personnel through Indian Psychological Techniques, Pertanika J. Soc. Sci. & Hum. 20 (4): 1327 - 1340 (2012).

Provided by Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)