Cuffed together: A study on how law enforcement work impacts the officer’s spouse

Abstract

Law enforcement officer spouses and significant others (LEOS) are susceptible to secondary trauma, i.e., psychological and physiological strain from exposure to occupational stress through their interpersonal relationship with their partner. Secondary, or vicarious, trauma in this population is a result of their partner’s occupational stress related to the dangerous nature of the work as well as the unpredictable work environment inherent in law enforcement. Research on secondary trauma for law enforcement personnel is limited, and there is even less for their spouses and significant others. This article begins to fill in the gap in the literature through a mixed-methods study that sought to identify how law enforcement work impacts LEOS, uncovering occupational stressors and various coping mechanisms. A survey of participants (n = 171) found that LEOS report a variety of stressors and in light of these, use negative coping strategies twice as much as positive coping strategies. Focus group data support the survey results, with 70% of respondents acknowledging significant stress related to their partner’s occupation. Data revealed that LEOS experience elevated stress at levels close to, and sometimes more than, the law enforcement officer (LEO), contributing to the use of negative coping strategies to manage the strain. Further research is needed to demonstrate how LEOS are at risk for experiencing long-term physical and mental health concerns resulting from ongoing exposure to heightened levels of stress, and to explore or design effective interventions to address or prevent secondary stress.