Predictors of aggressive behavior among police officers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33910/2686-9527-2025-7-3-368-380Keywords:
aggression, aggressive behavior, police officers, predictors of aggressive behavior, prevention of aggressive behaviorAbstract
Introduction. Aggression among police officers is a critical issue for public safety. Cases of unlawful use of force are reported annually, contributing to negative stereotypes and undermining the reputation of the police system. This study aims to identify psychological predictors of aggressive behavior among police officers, which could inform the development of preventive strategies. It was hypothesized that the degree of aggressive behavior is associated with individual psychological characteristics, including negative emotionality, goodwill, respectfulness, trust, extroversion (specifically, the persistence subfactor), and Machiavellianism.
Materials and Methods. The sample consisted of 105 male police officers from Saint Petersburg, aged 23–48, with 1–15 years of professional experience. The study employed the Buss–Durkee Hostility Inventory, the Big Five Inventory (BFI-2), and the Short Dark Triad (SD3).
Results. Based on the Buss-Durkee test, the sample was divided into two groups with differing levels of aggressiveness. Comparative analysis revealed that officers prone to aggressive behavior differ significantly from their colleagues with normative behavior in terms of BFI-2 factors (‘Goodwill‘, p = 0.001; ‘Conscientiousness’, p = 0.001; and ‘Negative emotionality‘, p = 0.001) and Dark Triad scales (‘Machiavellianism’, p = 0.015; ‘Psychopathy’, p = 0.000). Multiple regression models were constructed to identify the most significant predictors of aggression. For each model, the coefficient of determination was calculated. It was revealed that ‘Respectfulness’, ‘Machiavellianism’, ‘Trust’, and ‘Persistence’ were the most significant predictors included in the regression equations.
Conclusion. These findings refine the understanding of the personality traits associated with aggressive behavior in police officers and can inform the development of targeted preventive interventions.
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