HEART-RATE AND BLOOD-PRESSURE IN MALE POLICE OFFICERS AND CLERICAL WORKERS ON WORKDAYS AND NON-WORKDAYS

Male police officers from a city police station in Tasmania (n = 20) a nd a matched group of clerical workers (n = 20) monitored their heart rate, blood pressure and self-reported levels of stress and arousal ov er a two-week period. Measurements on workdays during which stressful events occurred were compared to non-event workdays and non-workdays. Two group differences were demonstrated, with the clerical workers rep orting higher levels of stress, and the police officers reporting high er levels of arousal. Support was evident for the distinction between workdays and non-workdays, and support was demonstrated for difference s between different types of workdays. Evidence suggested that restric ting the time frame of such research may lead to results that are inac curate or inconsistent because workdays differ in content.