Emotional Intelligence as a Predictor of Police Operational Stress: A Pilot Study

The present study examined the relationship between police operational stress and emotional intelligence. The study also observed the difference in operational stress and emotional intelligence concerning gender, rank, education, and marital status. The sample included 80 police officers from Bangalore, India. The operational police stress questionnaire developed by McCreary and Thompson (2006) and emotional intelligence scale developed by Hyde et al. (2002) were used to measure police operational stress and emotional intelligence, respectively. Independent sample t-test and Cohen’s d indicated that differences in gender, rank, education, and marital status had no significant effect on police operational stress. Gender differences had a significant effect on the emotional intelligence factors, empathy, and self-motivation. Differences in rank had a significant effect on empathy, self-motivation, emotional stability, managing relationships, integrity, value orientation, and commitment. Differences in marital status had a significant effect on value orientation. Correlation analysis showed that operational stress had a significant negative relationship with emotional intelligence and its factors such as self-motivation, emotional stability, value orientation, and altruistic behavior. Regression analysis showed emotional intelligence and its factor, emotional stability, as significant predictors of police operational stress.