The working definition of stress used is a perceived imbalance between social demands and perceived response capability under conditions where failure to meet demands has important consequences. This study hypothesized that during the first 5 years of police work, stress will increase as the rookie officer perceives that police work is quite different from what was learned in the academy; that in the period from 6 to 13 years, stress will further increase as officers become disenchanted with an unappreciative public and police administration; that from 14 to 20 years, stress will decrease as officers become less career oriented and less reactive to gaps between ideals and reality; and that after 20 years of service, stress will be reduced further as there is even less worry about job demands and failures. To test these hypotheses a survey instrument designed to measure perceived stress and length of police service was administered to a sample of 500 police officers randomly drawn from 21 police organizations in Western New York State. The Langner 22-item test, composed of psycho-physiological and withdrawal items, was used as a stress measure. The study found that a significant curvilinear relationship existed between stress and police career stages, thus supporting all the hypotheses. Tabular and graphic data and 17 references are provided.
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