ORIGINAL PAPER
Work for the Prison Service: selected health consequences – investigating the role of personal resources, job demands, work stress, and burnout
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1
Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Bydgoszcz, Poland
(Faculty of Psychology)
2
"Zoom in on Posts – Association for Healthy Workplaces”, Warsaw, Poland
3
Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
(Institute of Psychology)
Online publication date: 2023-10-23
Corresponding author
Ewa Sygit-Kowalkowska
Kazimierz Wielki University in Bydgoszcz, Faculty of Psychology, Staffa 1, 85-867 Bydgoszcz, Poland
Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(6):744-60
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ABSTRACT
Objectives: The specific job demands of the Prison Service (PS) may affect the health of officers. The job demands-resources model (JD-R) model
was used to design a survey of the consequences of working subject to particular job demands. The aim was to gain an insight into the relationship
between job demands, personal resources, occupational stress and burnout and selected health consequence indicators (such as behaviors associated
with the consumption of alcohol, stress symptoms). Material and Methods: A total of 1732 PS officers in Poland were surveyed. The following
tools were used as part of the survey: the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ II), the Multidimensional Inventory for Assessing
Coping Responses (COPE), the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and a form with a respondent’s particulars. Path analysis using
partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was performed. Results: The assumed hypotheses were partially confirmed by
the results. Out of 4 job demands categories only work pace turned out not to be a significant predictor of burnout and stress. For alcohol related
behaviors, stress level was the only significant predictor, both as a direct and indirect effect taking into account job demands. It transpired that
support from superiors rather than support from colleagues or self-efficacy was a significant moderator in the emotional demands – stress relationship.
Limitations of the study and perspectives for its continuation are also presented herein. Conclusions: Based on the obtained results it
may be concluded that job demands and support from superiors do have an impact on stress in the PS group. This is also consistent with available
reports in literature. At the same time stress is a significant predictor of alcohol related behaviors. Coping through the use of psychoactive substances
was not a significant factor in statistical analyses and it has still not been subject to sufficient scientific analysis. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(6):744–60