Policeman Case Study Essay

The aim of this paper is to analyse and discuss the police man case study based on Job Demand-Control model and stress management techniques. The Job Demand-Control model (JDC) also known as the strain model is believed to be one of the most influential models of work related stress (Leka & Houdmont, 2010). According to the JDC there are three central components of work environment that are important for understanding the job stress process: the first one is the job demands that are placed on the worker, the second is the amount of control the worker has in their attempt to meet demands and the third one being social support (Leka & Houdmont, 2010). JDC suggests that the combination of high job demands with low job control is associated emotional and physiological strain (Karasek, 1979). JDC also suggests that jobs with both high demand and high control lead to healthier employees even though there is a degree of strain (Karasek, 1979).
The Job Demand-Control theory is a suitable framework for assessing stress in the Policeman case study because the elements that are said to be stress evoking in JDC are the

The JDC extends to include social support as its third element. In the case study no demonstration of social support is offered to the policeman. Instead, he is given huge volumes of work to do - such as manage the station in the absent of the commander, support his colleagues emotionally by giving them personal advice; and is not cared for or supported by his wife. Stress arises from lack of social support because individuals feel like they are not being appreciated or cared for (Wallace, 2005). The JDC theory is a suitable framework for assessing stress in the case study because it highlights the importance of social support as a defence form stress and it also highlights the fact that stress should come both from at work and home (Wallace,