Original scientific paper
COMPARISON OF STRESS AND HARDINESS AMONG NURSES AND POLICE OFFICERS
Joško Sindik
; Institut za antropologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Ana Perinić Lewis
; Institut za antropologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Natalija Novokmet
; Institut za antropologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Dubravka Havaš Auguštin
; Institut za antropologiju, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
In this paper we have compared the levels of stress vs. mental hardiness among police officers and health workers. Stress in the workplace (occupational stress) is a specific type of stress, which is very common in these two professions, while hardiness, as a stable personality trait, represents a specific protective factor in relation to stress. The aim of the study was to determine the differences in the experience of stress and in the aspects of hardiness among the sample of positively selected police officers and nurses/medical technicians who work and study simultaneously. A comparative study was conducted on intentional samples of 75 nurses in Dubrovnik and on 63 police officers in Zagreb. The questionnaires Stress Test and Short Hardiness Scale were administered to participants. Principal component analysis revealed the presence of two components of stress: fatigue/lack of control and nutrition/sleep difficulties. Nurses experienced more stress in both components, but they also had greater mental strength in the aspect of commitment. Gender differences in both stress components suggested a greater level of stress in women, who also exhibited a more pronounced degree of commitment. Higher level of stress in nurses and women can be attributed to higher average stress in the medical profession and to the dual role of modern women, irrespective of their profession.
Keywords
hardiness; police officers; occupational stress; health workers
Hrčak ID:
127764
URI
Publication date:
3.10.2014.
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