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Physical Practice and Wellness Courses Reduce Distress and Improve Wellbeing in Police Officers

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  • Daniela Acquadro Maran

    (Department of Psychology, Università di Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Torino, Italy)

  • Massimo Zedda

    (Department of Psychology, Università di Torino, Via Verdi 10, 10124 Torino, Italy)

  • Antonella Varetto

    (Città della Salute e della Scienza, Corso Bramante, 88, 10126 Torino, Italy)

Abstract

Background: The aim of this work was to evaluate a course to reduce distress in an Italian police force. Based on the findings from the first investigations on this population, courses to improve the ability to manage distress were tailored by management. Several free courses were proposed, including physical efficiency (e.g., total body conditioning) and wellness (e.g., autogenic training) classes. The goal of this research was to evaluate the courses and their impact on the perceived distress and general health of the participants, as well as the effectiveness in increasing the use of adaptive coping strategies. Methods: A descriptive investigation was conducted involving a sample of 105 police officers before (time 1) and after (time 2) they had participated in the courses. Results: Findings confirmed both physical and wellness courses affected, in participants, the perceived distress, thereby increasing the perception of wellbeing. The participants expressed having mental health benefits, the use of adaptive coping strategies increased, while the maladaptive coping strategies decreased. Conclusion: This study confirms that these courses could effectively reduce the risk of chronic disease, a consequence of persistent exposure to distress.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Acquadro Maran & Massimo Zedda & Antonella Varetto, 2018. "Physical Practice and Wellness Courses Reduce Distress and Improve Wellbeing in Police Officers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-10, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:4:p:578-:d:137775
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jos F. Brosschot & Bart Verkuil & Julian F. Thayer, 2018. "Generalized Unsafety Theory of Stress: Unsafe Environments and Conditions, and the Default Stress Response," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-27, March.
    2. Nicola Magnavita & Sergio Garbarino, 2017. "Sleep, Health and Wellness at Work: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-18, November.
    3. Daniela Acquadro Maran & Massimo Zedda & Antonella Varetto, 2018. "Organizational and Occupational Stressors, Their Consequences and Coping Strategies: A Questionnaire Survey among Italian Patrol Police Officers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, January.
    4. Habersaat, Stephanie A. & Geiger, Ashley M. & Abdellaoui, Sid & Wolf, Jutta M., 2015. "Health in police officers: Role of risk factor clusters and police divisions," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 213-222.
    5. Fiona Cocker & Angela Martin & Jenn Scott & Alison Venn & Kristy Sanderson, 2013. "Psychological Distress, Related Work Attendance, and Productivity Loss in Small-to-Medium Enterprise Owner/Managers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-21, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sergio Garbarino & Giovanni Tripepi & Nicola Magnavita, 2020. "Sleep Health Promotion in the Workplace," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Robert G. Lockie & Robin M. Orr & J. Jay Dawes, 2022. "Fit (and Healthy) for Duty: Blood Lipid Profiles and Physical Fitness Test Relationships from Police Officers in a Health and Wellness Program," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.

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