Proactive stress management: The nature, effect and implications of the South African Police Service's "Managing stress effectively" programme

Abstract

The work of police officials is generally regarded as highly stressful. Because of this and other factors, the SAPS's Social Work Service developed the proactive "Managing Stress Effectively" programme to improve personnel's practical stress-management strategies and techniques. This programme's effect was measured by means of six measurement scales in a research project that involved 384 experimental and comparison group members and 32 presenters. The measurements showed that it had a significant effect on the respondents' behaviour and changed their personal and professional lives in a very positive manner. This result implies that the programme in its current or adapted form could be used as an effective instrument in addressing stress-related problems in other occupational and generic social work settings.