Concepts of multifaceted social support in operational work in the lives of South African Police Service members

Masefako A Gumani

doi:10.4102/sajip.v40i2.1209

Abstract

Orientation: The extensive role that social support plays in the lives of South African Police Service (SAPS) members outside of the expected work networks of professionals and colleagues should be further studied to reflect on the benefits received when handling the stressful and traumatic effects of operational work.Research purpose: The objective of this study was to describe the concepts of multifaceted social support network systems as perceived by SAPS members in the context of the Vhembe District (South Africa) in assisting them to deal with the effects of their operational work.Motivation for the study: There is still a call in social research to focus on the influence of different functions and sources of social support.Research design, approach and method: A descriptive phenomenological research design was used, and 20 SAPS participants were selected through purposive sampling. Unstructured,face-to-face interviews, field notes, telephone follow-ups and diaries were used to collect data which was subsequently analysed through phenomenological explication.Main findings: The results show that social support is not a linear process but is multifaceted,depending on specific operational settings. Furthermore, the social support network system identified is informed by the values of communal living in the Vhembe District as well as in the operational context in which the SAPS members work.Practical/managerial implications: The SAPS should help initiate and involve, during the debriefing of operational members, types and functions of social support that are dependent on organisational and community contexts.Contribution/value-add: This study makes a meaningful contribution to understanding that social support in the SAPS operational context is different from other contexts.

Highlights

Problem statementThe purpose of this study was to describe the concepts of multifaceted social support network systems as perceived by the South African Police Service (SAPS) members in the context of the Vhembe District (South Africa) in assisting them to deal with the effects of their operational work.The work of SAPS members is characterised by high levels of brutality and stress as well as a high risk for suicide
Whilst support can be based on emotional, informational, appraisal and tangible resources, with victims of natural disasters relying more on tangible help (Kaniasty & Norris, 2000), the reliance on multifaceted support amongst the operational SAPS members in this study is based on the exchange of information, situational appraisal and emotional encouragement
This study makes a meaningful contribution to understanding that social support in the operational context of SAPS differs from other contexts

Summary

Introduction

Problem statementThe purpose of this study was to describe the concepts of multifaceted social support network systems as perceived by the South African Police Service (SAPS) members in the context of the Vhembe District (South Africa) in assisting them to deal with the effects of their operational work (work that involves managing critical incidents).The work of SAPS members is characterised by high levels of brutality and stress as well as a high risk for suicide. Whilst the SAPS members have to protect others, the environment in which they serve is not safe for them (Bazana & Dodd, 2013) They form part of a group of first responders who serve the immediate needs of community members when traumatic incidents occur. Exposure to such incidents leaves them in physical and mental states of health that require social support from others (Prati & Pietrantoni, 2010). It is shown that trauma victims with social support tend to cope better compared to those without social support This support is seen as a buffer against psychological stress, which is a result of life and work-related events. It is an emotion-focused coping strategy that regulates the emotions experienced (Marivate & Madu, 2007; Patterson, 2003)

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