Association between psychosomatic symptoms and work stress among Taiwan police officers

The aim of the study was to explore the association between the severity of psychosomatic symptoms and perceived work stress among male police officers in southern Taiwan. By stratified random sampling, a total of 698 male police officers were recruited into this study (the response rate was 73.4%; 512 of 698). A structured self-administered questionnaire on demographic and working characteristics, the severity of psychosomatic symptoms, perceived work stress, and social support was used to collect data anonymously. The results of multiple regression analysis revealed that (1) the police officers who perceived high-work stress reported more severe psychosomatic symptoms than those who perceived low-work stress; and (2) perceived social support had a moderating effect on the association between severity of psychosomatic symptoms and perceived work stress. Perceived work stress is an indicator of psychosomatic symptoms in police officers. Strategies for reducing psychosomatic symptoms of police officers include police administrators taking into account the level of work stress as well as more attention being paid to the resources of social support.

摘要本研究目的在探討南台灣男性員警的身體化症狀、工作壓力的關係。以分層隨機方式，抽取698位男性員警為研究對象，以匿名自填問卷方式收案，共有512位完成問卷調查（反應率73%）。問卷內容包括身體化症狀、工作壓力與社會支持。以多變數複迴歸分析個人屬性、工作屬性、社會支持變項及工作壓力感受，對身體化症狀嚴重度的影響。多變數迴歸分析結果顯示(1)員警高工作壓力感受者其身體化症狀嚴重度顯著高於低工作壓力感受者；(2)社會支持對員警的身體化症狀嚴重度與工作壓力感受具有調節作用。工作壓力是員警身體化症狀的指標，故建議在發展減少員警身體化症狀的策略時，除考量工作壓力程度外，尚需考量其所感受的社會支持。