Do personality and other individual differences affect the development of post traumatic stress symptoms in male police officers?

Author

Megan Kane. Myers, Smith College

Publication Date

2007

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine whether personality and other individual differences such as age, race, combat military experience, police experience, job assignment, and job satisfaction were associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms in male police officers. Secondly, I sought to determine if there a police personality distinct from that of the general population. Questionnaire packets containing three instruments were distributed to 109 male police officers. Thirty officers completed and returned the study materials which included: a demographic questionnaire; a personality inventory to assess the domains of neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness; and a trauma scale to assess the severity and frequency of intrusion, avoidance and hyperarousal symptomology. The findings of the research demonstrated that years of experience and job assignment influenced the frequency and severity of symptomology reported. Additionally, the personality domain of conscientiousness appeared to be related to the severity of intrusion symptoms. Finally, police differed from the general population on the domains of neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience.

Comments

iv, 63 p. Thesis (M.S.W)--Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2007. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 51-55).

Recommended Citation

Myers, Megan Kane., "Do personality and other individual differences affect the development of post traumatic stress symptoms in male police officers?" (2007). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/1279