Individual profiles of psychological suitability for police service (according to the results of the individual typological questionnaire)

Abstract

The individual psychological profiles of police officers, obtained through a long-term study using the adapted Ukrainian-language psychodiagnostic methodology “Individual Typological Questionnaire” by L. Sobchyk, have been studied and analysed. The presented results contain a description of different types of individual personality profiles, which are characterised as favourable, less favourable and unfavourable for the service activity in the National Police of Ukraine depending on typological features, specificity of leading tendencies, thinking and communication properties, type of reaction to stress, etc. These typical psychological profiles include fifteen variants, the study of which will help the psychologists of the National Police psychological support units to formulate scientifically sound forecasts of the success of the candidates for police officers during the psychological stage of professional selection, as well as to help police officers in conducting competitions for vacant positions, carrying out the certification procedure, etc. The developed individual psychological profiles include both adaptive variants, which provide for high and medium levels of psychological fitness for service, and several variants of maladaptive psychological profiles, which correspond to a low level of psychological fitness of a police officer that is undesirable for performing official functions. The high level is inherent in employees with balanced tendencies, mainly stoic, leadership, sociable profile types, which are characterised by extraversion, general activity, optimism, moderate aggressiveness, positive self-esteem, determination, tendency to self-realisation, defending one’s interests, dominance and self-assertion. The low level of fitness is accompanied by signs of individualistic, conflict, schizoid or infantile profiles, which are characterised by a high probability of certain variants of maladjustment (hysteretic, neurasthenic, depressive, etc.) in difficult conditions of service, and is also recorded in individuals with exceeding the limits of the questionnaire scales. The presented classification of profiles will help practical psychologists to monitor and identify in advance the possible emergence of negative psychological states and trends, signs of professional deformation or emotional burnout among police officers, and to provide, if necessary, the necessary psychological assistance and advice on individual and professional development of police officers.