Suicidal Ideation and Mental Health: The Moderating Effect of Coping Strategies in the Police Force

Eloísa Guerrero-Barona,Juan Manuel Moreno-Manso,Carlos Barbosa-Torres,Maria José Chambel,Mónica Guerrero-Molina,Natalia Bueso-Izquierdo

doi:10.3390/ijerph18158149

Eloísa Guerrero-Barona, Juan Manuel Moreno-Manso + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18158149

Copy DOI

Abstract

The suicide rate in the police force (Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad-FFCCSS) is estimated to be greater than that of the general population. The objectives of this paper are to detect mental health problems, in particular depression and anxiety, and to analyze the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relation between mental health and suicide ideation in police officers. The Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire (SBQ-R), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI), the Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Brief Cope have all been used in the study. The sample consists of 98 Spanish police officers, of whom 91.8% were male. The results indicate that depression and anxiety can predict suicidal ideation. Nevertheless, it must be said that coping strategies do not have a moderating effect in the relation between mental health and suicidal ideation in this professional group.

Highlights

There is a series of methodological problems in their estimation: most police officers are male, belonging to an age range in which the suicide rate is greater [3], there is a lack of groups with which to make adequate comparisons [4], and there is the difficulty of equating the police force and the general population [5]
Based on results obtained in previous studies, while considering the high rates of suicide and the urgent need to implement preventive and intervention programs, our general objective in this study is to describe mental health problems, in particular depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and coping strategies in the FFCCSS, and to analyze the moderating effect of coping strategies on the relationship between mental health and suicidal ideation in the police force
The results obtained concerning the level of depression (M = 3.62; SD = 4.91) allows us to state that 72.4% of the sample does not show depression (n = 71), 13.3% shows slight depression (n = 13), 10.2% shows moderate depression (n = 10) and 4.1% shows severe depression (n = 4)

Summary

Introduction

Res. Public Health 2021, The suicide rate in the police force is estimated to be greater than that of the general population [1,2]. There is a series of methodological problems in their estimation: most police officers are male, belonging to an age range in which the suicide rate is greater [3], there is a lack of groups with which to make adequate comparisons [4], and there is the difficulty of equating the police force and the general population [5]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion