Occupational Stress and Coping Mechanism Among District Armed Reserve (DAR) Police, Karnataka, India

INTRODUCTION This research investigates District Armed Reserve (DAR) police personnel, a significant but often underappreciated organization whose tireless efforts go unnoticed in society. The study aims to understand better the demands placed on DAR police personnel in their occupation and investigate coping mechanisms for stress management. By exposing the various difficulties the police force encountered, the study established an in-depth understanding of their obligations. AIM The research sought to investigate how the District Armed Reserve Police (DAR) experience occupational stress and explore their coping mechanisms to manage it. METHODS The study uses a mixed-method, explanatory design and 104 DAR police personnel from Dakshina Kannada District of Karnataka. Researcher distributed the questionnaire to the participants, utilizing the Dass-21 and Coping Scale. Furthermore, they selected five participants for semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was employed to identify recurrent themes in the qualitative data, offering a comprehensive understanding of the research issue. RESULTS The study found non-normal distributions in Total Stress and Total Coping scores, with a significant positive correlation between stress levels and coping mechanisms (r = 0.349, p < 0.01, 2-tailed). In qualitative, Coping mechanisms include seeking positive thoughts, engaging in personal interests, and seeking support. CONCLUSIONS The study highlights the significant occupational stress experienced by DAR police personnel, revealing specific stressors and coping mechanisms used by these personnel.