Comparative Study of the Emotional Burnout of Police Officers in Wartime Conditions

Abstract

The aim of the study is to provide a comparative analysis of the emotional burnout of police officers in wartime conditions, considering differences in gender, the duration of service, and the specific nature of police units. Methods. To this end, the ‘Diagnosis of Emotional Burnout’ methodology (Maksymenko et al., 2006) was used, which made it possible to assess the level of emotional burnout of police officers. The methodology assessed three phases of emotional burnout: tension, resistance, and exhaustion. The study sample included n = 186 police officers, differentiated by gender (men – n = 120, women – n = 66), the duration of service (less than 10 years – n = 60, 11–20 years – n = 70, more than 21 years – n = 56), and by unit type (patrol police officers – n = 120, criminal police – n = 66). Results. The study revealed that the level of emotional burnout among police officers partially depended on work experience, gender, and the specifics of the unit. Women demonstrated higher levels of emotional stress, anxiety, depression, and psychosomatic symptoms, while men showed greater selfriticism and dissatisfaction with themselves. Police officers with less experience (up to 10 years) tend to show increased displays of psycho-emotional stress, in particular anxiety and symptoms of psychological exhaustion. However, no statistically significant differences between the groups were found for these indicators. At the same time, significant differences in terms of work experience were found only on the depersonalization scale, where more experienced employees (over 21 years of service) have lower scores, which may indicate better adaptation to professional challenges. The specific nature of the unit's work also affects the level of burnout: criminal police officers who work with extremely traumatic situations (exhumation) experience greater emotional stress than patrol police officers. Conclusions. The study confirmed that emotional burnout is a significant psychological risk for police officers in martial law conditions, caused by high levels of stress and the specific nature of the service. It was found that gender differentiation and the specifics of the unit have a more pronounced effect on the level of burnout than the duration of professional service, the latter having a significant effect only on the level of depersonalization. The obtained results emphasize the need to develop differentiated psychological support strategies, in particular for young employees and those working in psychologically traumatic conditions, as well as to implement programs for developing stress resis- tance and emotional resilience.