NCJ Number
182092
Date Published
1999
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Sixty-four sworn police officers and one city manager from seven police agencies in Santa Clara County (Calif.) took part in a study designed to determine the impact of training in stress management on police officers’ ability to recognize and manage their stress and negative emotions in both work and personal contexts.
Abstract
The researchers randomly divided the participants into an experimental group that received the HeartMath self-management training during the study and a waiting control group that received the training after the study ended. The study took place over a 16-week period and gathered information on both physiological and psychological variables. Officers who practiced the HeartMath techniques experienced marked reductions in negative emotions, fatigue, and physical stress symptoms, as well as increased peacefulness, physical vitality, and improved work performance. Findings also provided insight into the physiological impact of acute work stress and pointed to the 24-hour holter recorder analysis as a useful screening tool to identify police officers at increased risk of developing serious long-term health programs. Findings suggested that gaining increased levels of emotional self-management could potentially benefit police officers in a wide range of capacity. Figures and author photographs and biographies