Die evaluering van die effektiwiteit van 'n aangepaste vorm van die "Coping Effectiveness Training Program" vir groepe binne die SAPD

Abstract

The aim of this study was to adjust the existing Coping Effectiveness Training Program for the use with groups within the SAPS and to evaluate the effectiveness of this program in the reduction of degrees of burnout and the increase of constructive coping skills. Different theoretical perspectives regarding the nature of stress, psychological burnout and coping was analyzed. Various coping programs, including the Coping Effectiveness Training Program, which was used for this study, was also analyzed. The empirical study included 60 police officers of the Protection Services Unit, SAPS (Western Cape). Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (30 participants) and a control group (30 participants). The experimental group participated in the adjusted form of the Coping Effectiveness Training Program. Psychological burnout and coping strategies were measured in both groups before and after the program, whilst the experimental group completed another measurement after an approximate six-week interval. The Cope Questionnaire (COPE) of Carver, Scheier and Weintraub (1989) was used to measure coping. Burnout was measured with the Pines Burnout Questionnaire of Pines, Aronson and Kafry (1981). Data was analyzed for the whole group as well as separately for the experimental and control groups. In the current study, good validity scores were obtained for the Cope Questionnaire and results from the empirical study indicate that the average scores as obtained with this scale, concurs with those obtained with other groups. It appeared that the program did have a positive contribution in terms of the reduction of dysfunctional coping strategies, i.e. ''Ventilation of emotion" and "Mental disengagement". Furthermore, it appears that the program did not make any contribution to the reduction of psychological burnout and the increase in constructive coping strategies.