COPING, SEEKING SOCIAL SUPPORT AND STRESS AMONG GERMAN POLICE OFFICERS

Coping behaviour, particularly ''seeking social support'' was examined among a homogenous group of senior police officers whose job is recog nised to be very stressful. There was evidence of a direct impact of s ocial support on both mental and physical health, but no indication of direct influence on job stress or job satisfaction. Furthermore, soci al support did not moderate the relationship between job stress and me ntal health or the stress-physical health relationship. A buffering (m oderating) influence of seeking social support was found on the job sa tisfaction-physical health linkage. Job satisfaction had a direct impa ct on mental ill-health (showing high satisfaction was associated with superior psychological health), but was statistically unrelated to ph ysical ill-health. There was however no direct relationship between ov erall job stress and job satisfaction. The implications of these findi ngs are discussed within the theoretical framework of social support t heory.