Predicting three dimensions of police officer stress: does rural or urban setting matter?

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the disparities in stress between rural and urban police officers in China. Design/methodology/approach: Data for this study were collected from a national police university in China in 2017. In total, 608 Chinese police officers were surveyed representing those attending in-service training program in the university. Findings: Results showed that rural police officers exhibited a higher level of somatization compared to their urban counterparts, whereas no rural–urban differences were detected for other stress dimensions – anxiety and depression. Additionally, this study suggests that perceived constraints in resources and training partially mediate the observed rural–urban disparities in somatization. Research limitations/implications: This study is based on a convenient sample of Chinese police officers, which restricts the generalizability of the results. Practical implications: To reduce stress among police officers, China needs to make more investments in resources and training programs in its rural policing. Originality/value: A review of literature reveals that studies comparing police stress between rural and urban areas are rare. Additionally, China, as the largest developing nation in the world, remains under-studied with respect to stress among its police officers.