Pre-career exposure to violence as a predictor of emotional distress among police recruits. (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McQuerrey Tuttle, Brooke; Cho, Yeokil; Waldrop, Tia C
• Is Part Of: Police journal. Volume 96:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 181
• Page End: 196
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: police recruits -- police stress -- exposure to violence -- police mental health; Police -- Periodicals; Police -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 363.205
• DOI: 10.1177/0032258X211064712
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0032-258X

Abstract

The occupational risks to police mental health are widely known; however, less is known about how early life experiences and pre-academy stressors influence the emotional wellness of recruits in an academy setting. The present study investigated the links between pre-career exposure to violence and emotional wellness among a sample of 1, 072 police recruits. Results of path analyses revealed that direct exposure to physical violence prior to age 18 was a significant factor for recruit emotional distress, whereas indirect exposure to violence did not significantly predict emotional distress. Findings carry implications for considering a lifespan approach to understanding police stress.