PERCEIVED QUALITY-OF-LIFE, PERSONALITY, AND WORK EXPERIENCES - CONSTRUCT-VALIDATION OF THE POLICE DAILY HASSLES AND UPLIFTS SCALES

This study investigated the relative contribution made by personality and work-related experiences to a police officer's perceived quality o f life (PQOL). The construct validity of the Police Daily Hassles and Uplifts Scales also was examined. Data were provided by 404 police off icers drawn from all ranks and work sections within an Australian poli ce department. A series of factor analyses supported the construct val idity of the scales, which can be grouped into organizational and oper ational domains. Hassles and uplifts were shown to be independent. Cor relational and regression analyses indicated that organizational, rath er than operational, experiences were most important in determining PQ OL. The results showed that neuroticism, as well as organizational has sles and uplifts, were significant predictors of PQOL. These findings both challenge the stereotype of policing that suggests operational ex periences am most distressing and demonstrate that PQOL is determined by police officers' personality and work-related experiences.