The relationship between burnout and suicidal ideations among Jamaican police officers
| Author | Candice A. Wray,Sharlene Beckford Jarrett |
| DOI | 10.1177/1461355719856026 |
| Date | 01 September 2019 |
| Published date | 01 September 2019 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Article
International Journal of
Police Science & Management
The relationship between burnout
2019, Vol. 21(3) 181–189
ª The Author(s) 2019
and suicidal ideations among Jamaican
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police officers
DOI: 10.1177/1461355719856026
journals.sagepub.com/home/psm
Candice A. Wray
Department of Sociology, Psychology & Social Work, The University of the West Indies, Jamaica
Sharlene Beckford Jarrett
Institute of Global Health Sciences, University of California, USA
Abstract
Jamaican police officers often encounter organizational and societal stressors through their work in high-crime and low-
resource settings. Repeated exposure to stressors, with limited opportunities for support, can compromise emotional
well-being and increase the risk of experiencing burnout and suicidal ideation. This cross-sectional study examines the
relationship between burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment) and suicidal
ideations among Jamaican police officers surveyed in 2017. Jamaican police officers (N ¼ 305) from five major urban
divisions completed two self-report questionnaires. The results revealed significant relationships between emotional
exhaustion and suicidal ideations (r ¼ .17, p < .01) and depersonalization and suicidal ideations (r ¼ .18, p < .01).
However, there was no significant relationship between personal accomplishment and suicidal ideations (p > .01).
Implementing programmes that offer access to adaptive coping or stress management skills and social support systems
may reduce burnout and decrease risk for suicidal ideation.
Keywords
Police officers, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, personal accomplishment, burnout, stress, suicide
Submitted 30 Sep 2018, Revise received 27 Apr 2019, accepted 16 May 2019
Introduction
and organizational structure that can create psychological
strain and contribute to burnout and suicidal behaviours.
Police officers are confronted with adverse, stressful and
Officers experience job-related stress when situations
life-threatening situations on a daily basis. The murder rate
related to their work overwhelm their ability to cope
in Jamaica is one of the highest globally. The murder rate
(Anshel, 2000; Burke, 1994; Storm and Rothman, 2003).
peaked in 2005 at 62.5 murders per 100,000 people (United
In Jamaica, these organizational stressors include ‘inade-
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNODC], 2013;
quate resources, poor working conditions, feeling unfairly
World Bank, 2018) and has since decreased, although it
compensated, lack of opportunities for promotion and inad-
remains the highest in the Caribbean region at 43.2 per
equate time with family’ (Nelson, 2017, p. 146). Prolonged
100,000 persons in 2015 (UNDOC, 2015). Violent crimes
exposure to stressful situations can lead to burnout, which
are also commonplace, and to maintain order, police offi-
cers often use force in carrying out their daily duties [Over-
seas Development Institute (ODI), 2014]. Working in this
context, the threat of death is a reality for Jamaica Consta-
Corresponding author:
bulary Force (JCF) officers (Nelson, 2017).
Candice A. Wray, The University of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston 7,
In addition to frequent exposure to traumatic situations,
Jamaica.
police also face routine stressors related to management
Email: candice_wry@yahoo.com
182
International Journal of Police Science & Management 21(3)
manifests in negative attitudes and behaviours towards cli-
reports suggest these administrative and organizational fac-
ents, the job and the organization.
tors are commonplace for Jamaican police officers.
Burnout is defined by three distinct characteristics: emo-
Burnout levels may vary by gender, age and rank. Find-
tional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of personal
ings are inconsistent regarding the significance of sex and
accomplishment. According to Maslach et al. (2008) emo-
age in the development of police officer burnout (Aguayo
tional exhaustion refers to fatigue in response to work,
et al., 2017). Some studies show that women score higher
trouble sleeping and physical problems. It is often likened
on emotional exhaustion and men score higher on deperso-
to depression; however, unlike depression, the symptoms
nalization (He et al., 2005; LB Johnson, 1991; Maslach
of emotional exhaustion disappear outside work. Low lev-
et al., 2001), whereas others show no gender difference
els of emotional exhaustion have been linked to health-
(McCarty et al., 2007). Research has found that female
protecting factors such as individual (personality traits and
police officers are likely to work in less-favourable condi-
coping mechanisms) and organizational resources, selec-
tions than males due to gender-based harassment and
tion (goodness of fit) and training (Martinussen et al.,
antagonism (He et al., 2005) and receive less support from
2007; Wiese et al., 2003). By contrast, high emotional
peers and supervisors (McCarty et al., 2007; Violanti et al.,
exhaustion has been linked to avoidant coping styles
2016b).
(Pasillas et al., 2006).
With regards to age, some research shows that younger
Depersonalization is excessive detachment, leading to
officers report higher levels of emotional exhaustion and
cynicism with patients or colleagues, feelings of guilt,
depersonalization than those aged over 30 (Maslach et al.,
avoidance of social contacts and withdrawing into oneself
2001; Wissing and Van Eeden, 2002). According to
(Maslach et al., 2008). Depersonalization has also been
Maslach et al. (2001) age is related to job tenure, therefore,
linked to alcoholism, drug use and use of excessive force
burnout is more likely in the early to mid-stages of one’s
career. During the initial years, officers are enthusiastic
(Burke, 1998; Kop and Euwema, 2001). Bourne (2016)
(Violanti and Aaron, 1995), however, they gradually
highlighted that mistrust typifies the Jamaican police–citi-
become
worn
down
by
the
various
stressors
zen relationship, with which many Jamaicans are dissatis-
(Laufersweiler-Dwyer and Dwyer, 2000). By contrast,
fied. The police have conflict with citizens, due to
accumulated experience results in wisdom and better cop-
perceived high levels of corruption and collusion with
ing mechanisms (Gudjonsson and Adlam, 1985).
criminal networks. As a result, there is a call for more
The role of rank in burnout has received less attention.
community policing instead of a ‘paramilitary’-style
Stress research suggests higher ranking police officers may
interaction.
experience higher levels of stress because they may under-
Finally, a lack of personal accomplishment refers to the
take more managerial tasks and have responsibility for sub-
tendency to negatively self-evaluate one’s performance at
ordinates (Antoniou, 2009). However, S Johnson et al.
work, leading to feelings of dissatisfaction with oneself and
(2005) argued that compared with junior officers, senior
one’s work accomplishments (Maslach et al., 2008). Offi-
British officers were less stressed and more satisfied. This
cers with a high sense of personal accomplishment are
inconsistency may be due to the variation in the level of
described as cheerful and view their work as a source of
stress that is associated with specific stressors. Higher
pride (Maslach and Jackson, 1981). Each characteristic –
ranked police officers (such as sergeants) may experience
emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and lack of per-
more organizational stress such as poor communication,
sonal accomplishment – points to potential mental health
excessive paperwork, bureaucracy and limited resources,
consequences; however, law enforcement culture inhibits
whereas lower ranked officers (constables) experience
the use of psychological services and promotes stoicism.
more operational stress such as violent arrests and domestic
Furthermore, the majority of the profession are male, and
disputes (Berg et al., 2005; Kohan and Mazmanian, 2003).
are less likely to seek psychological services compared to
Burnout has been linked to a number of adverse out-
their female counterparts (Addis and Mahalik, 2003).
comes, including depression (Nelson and Smith, 2016) and
Situations that may lead to police burnout include lack
suicidal ideation, intent or behaviour (Mikkelsen and
of administrative support, frustration with the promotion
Burke, 2004). Burnout has been linked to suicidal ideation
process, inadequate equipment, excessive paperwork,
among physicians (Dyrbye et al., 2008; Shanafelt et al.,
intra-departmental politics, frustration with the criminal
2011), dental students (Deeb et al., 2018), police officers
justice system and court leniency, and conflict with citizens
and other first responders (Stanley et al.,...
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