Date

4-7-2026

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminal Justice (PhD)

Chair

Vincent Giordano

Keywords

Single Parent, Single Parent Police Officers, Police Officers, Stress Reduction, Coping Mechanisms, Stress, Effects of Stress, Coping Strategies, Leadership

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

The present study examined how the demographic of single parent police officers reduced and coped with stress, whether coping mechanisms utilized were effective or not, changed overtime, and whether the coping mechanisms were influenced by personal factors and leadership within their departments. This study took place in Highlands County, Florida with a sample size of 13 participants. The participants responses were captured through in-depth semi-structured interviews within this qualitative descriptive study. Majority of participants described how their coping mechanisms changed over time to better their lives or the lives of their family. The changes were affected mostly by their children and responsibilities at work. Majority of the participants described their coping mechanisms as effective. Concerning the leadership of their departments, participants explained that they felt supported by their current lower levels of administration. Based on the contextual background of law enforcement and single parents, more research is needed to further evaluate how single parent police officer reduce and cope with stress.

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