DOES PERCEIVED EMOTIONAL INVALIDATION MODERATE THE RELATION BETWEEN OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS?

Police officers are exposed to operational stressors while on duty, including child abuse, domestic violence, car crashes, and homicides (Jetelina et al., 2020). Repeated exposure to these stressors is associated with the development of mental illness (Jetelina et al., 2020). Organizational stressors, including lack of support/validation, demand, job pressure, administrative/organizational pressure, and long working hours, may be an even greater source of stress for police officers (Purba & Demou, 2019). Exposure to such organizational stressors can result in psychological distress, burnout, and suicidal ideation (Purba & Demou, 2019). However, there is a dearth of research on invalidation and the role it plays in the development and maintenance of mental health outcomes among law enforcement officers. It is unclear how invalidation from supervisors, colleagues, and the general public, moderates the relation between occupational stressors and the development of mental health outcomes. The current study is the first attempt to evaluate whether perceived emotional invalidation moderates the relationship between mental health outcomes and occupational stress. Results could inform our understanding of the role emotional invalidation from supervisors, colleagues, and the general public has on the mental health outcomes of law enforcement officers after experiencing occupational stress