Summary
"Policing is widely recognized as a stressful occupation due to the long and unpredictable hours, potential for violence and danger involved in regular patrol duties, as well as the demanding nature of the organization. All of these factors can place extreme levels of stress on officers and test their ability to cope. The main goal of the present study was to explore the experiences of Canadian officers and their spouses concerning policing stress and how they manage that stress, both individually and as a couple through the lens of their relationship. Using a qualitative narrative approach, couples were interviewed together to share their perspectives on the most stressful aspects of policing, as well as the positive (healthy) and negative (unhealthy) coping strategies used individually and jointly by officers and their intimate partners to manage work-related stress. A wide variety of sources of policing stress were discussed by the couples. Both individual and family-oriented stress management strategies were identified. Recommendations for future research and for policy and practice based on the findings from the present study were also discussed."--Abstract.