The Sense of Stress Among Polish Army Officers and Their Satisfaction with Their Professional Situation

Abstract

Contemporary security threats, including those arising from the emergence of war in Ukraine, the migration crisis, and the necessity to modernize Polish Armed Forces, have increased the frequency of occupational stress placed on soldiers. Polish Army officers represent a specific group vulnerable to stress, as they bear responsibility for task execution, their subordinates, as well as the assigned equipment and property. The objective of the study was to determine the extent to which satisfaction with the professional situation of the surveyed Polish Army officers correlates with the level of occupational stress they experience. The research was embedded in a quantitative paradigm. A diagnostic survey method was applied, utilizing the Sense of Stress Questionnaire by Plopa and Makarowski, alongside an original questionnaire concerning satisfaction with selected aspects of military service. The study involved 145 career officers participating in professional development programs at the War Studies University. The majority of the respondents were characterized by a low level of overall sense of stress. The highest values were recorded in the area of emotional tension, while lower values were observed in the domains of external and intrapsychic stress. Significant negative correlations were found between job satisfaction and stress levels. Relationships with superiors, leadership style, work organization, and team dynamics proved to be of particular importance. Satisfaction with one’s professional situation can function as a factor that mitigates the sense of stress among officers. Organizational and social factors – especially the quality of leadership and professional relationships – proved to be more important than material aspects.