The relationship of coping strategies of specialists in legal labor with  the features of professional activities

The article deals with the problem of coping behavior of employees labor law in line with the relationship of coping strategies with the peculiarities of professional activity. During theoretical and empirical study of the regularities of formation and functioning of stress overcoming behavior indicated, the relationship of coping with the specific professional requirements and objectives. Тhe coping strategies are understood and consciously used by the human techniques of coping with difficult situations, and conditions.Based on empirical results of the conducted research, we came to the conclusion that the level of development of a coping is determined by the specifics of professional activity of specialists of the legal work. 

The problem with coping strategies is one of the most relevant for legal psychology in the study of psychological characteristics of work and personality of employees working in the human rights field. The interest in this problem primarily due to the complexity and tensions of professional activity of officers on human rights. Long-term operation in extreme conditions is often a cause of stress reactions that contribute to the attrition of adaptic possibilities of the person.

First, the term «coping» («coping») used L. Murphy (L. Murphy) in 1962 to research ways of dealing with children conditions of the crisis development. These included active, conscious efforts of the individual, aimed at coping with the difficult life situation or problem [1].

The  study  of  the  problem  of  coping  behavior  was  continued  by  such  scholars  as  R.  Lazarus, Folkman, W. Lehr, C. Miller, M. green, J. Amirkhan, K. Carver et al. [2]. Russian researchers is the concept of «coping» use of  the  concept of  «coping»,  «coulduse  behavior» or  «psychological  overcoming». In Russian psychology, the first studies on coping have been conducted in V.M. Altonaga, N.A. Orphans [3]. A study of coping behavior of representatives of extreme professions was carried out by I. Lebedev [4]. Coulduse behavior described in the works of I. Antsyferova, T.L. Krukova [5], S.K. Nartova-Bochvar, Chasovoi, R. Nabiullina. In Kazakhstan a study of the coping strategies engaged by E.I. Barabanova, Abdeeva [6] and M. Schmidt., A.D. Korneeva, E.V.

For R. Lazarus and S. Folkman, the coping strategies are understood and consciously used by the human techniques of coping with difficult situations, and conditions; cognitive and behavioral efforts aimed at achieving compliance with the specific external or internal demands that are evaluated as excessive or exceeding  resources  of  the  person.  The  authors  identify  the  following  strategies  of  coping  behavior [7]:

«the confrontation», «distancing», «self-control», «search of social support», «acceptance of responsibility», «avoidance», «systematic solution», «positive revaluation».

As a result of theoretical and experimental studies it has been shown that for coping with stress, each person uses their own strategies (coping strategies) on the basis of personal experience and psychological reserves (personal resources or coping resources) [8].

Behavioural coping strategies are divided into active and passive, adaptive and non-adaptive [9]. To include active strategy «problem resolution» as a coping strategy incorporating all of the behaviors of a person, aimed at resolving the problematic situation and the strategy «search of social support» including behavior aimed at obtaining social support from the environment [10]. To passive coping behavior may include behaviors, including coping strategy «avoidance», although some forms of avoidance, to be active in nature. To personal-environmental adaptive resources (coping resources) considers the level of cognitive development, the availability of social-support network and its efficiency, as well as the psychological characteristics of   the person providing the stress [11].

To determine the dominant strategy of coping behavior in workers of the legal sphere and the establishment of the nature of their relationship with the professional activities we carried out a mini study, which was attended by members of the police (21 people ranging in age from 27 years to 51 years) and lawyers engaged in private advocacy in Karaganda (29 subjects from 34 to 48 years). To achieve this goal were used  the questionnaire «Ways of coping behavior» (SSP) R. Lazarus and S. Folkman.

In the course of the study by questionnaire of Lazarus, we obtained the following results.

T a b l e   1

Indicators of choice of coping strategies by the police (average values in T-points)

For greater clarity, the results for this sample are depicted in chart form below:

Figure 1. Indicators of choice of coping strategies employees police, T-scores 

As shown by the results of the study, the most preferred are the subjects of the strategy «systematic solution» and «positive revaluation». The least frequent police used the coping strategy «accepting responsibility» and «distancing 2.

The results of the survey of the second group of respondents, namely the selection of the private bar, as follows:

T a b l e   2

Indicators choice coping strategies of lawyers (average values in T-points) 

Figure 2. Indicators choice coping strategies of lawyers, the T-scores 

After analyzing the data for both groups of subjects, we can draw the following conclusions:

1. Most preferred for police officers are strategies for «systematic solution» and «positive revaluation». This suggests that members of this sample solve the problem through a targeted analysis of the situation and possible options of behavior, develop a strategy for the resolution of problems, planning their own actions in the light of objective conditions, past experience and available

The coping strategy «positive revaluation» is characterized by a desire to overcome negative experiences in connection with the problem due to its positive reinvention, considering it as a stimulus for personal growth. Along with this, the subjects may underestimate the practical ability to resolve the situation.

2. Less often, police resort to such behaviors as «taking responsibility» and «distancing». The results indicate that the subjects do not sufficiently acknowledge its role in causing the problems and the responsibility for its solution, less prone to self-criticism and self-blame. The police are least likely to overcome the negative experiences in connection with the problem due to the subjective reduction of its significance and degree of emotional involvement in it. They retain emotional balance, conscious effort to suppress unpleasant experiences, the desire for emotional removal from the
3. Employees of private law firms most frequently use the strategy of «self-control», «acceptance of responsibility» and «search of social support».

When the coping strategy of «self-control» there are conscious efforts to maintain self-control, activation of mental activity and alertness. Lawyers is improving control over the actions, statements, the restraint in his spontaneous manifestations, the desire to conceal personal experiences from others, isolation.

The strategy of «taking responsibility» involves the recognition by the subject of their role in the problem and responsibility for its solution, in some cases with a distinct component of self-criticism and selfblame. This strategy reflects the desire of the employees of the bar to the understanding of the relationship between their own actions and their consequences, the willingness to analyze their behavior, to seek the origins of current difficulties in the personal shortcomings and mistakes.

In third place is the strategy «search of social support». It turned out that lawyers are more emotionally involved in the situation, the more urgent need of protection and security, sympathy, acceptance. Strategy of search of social support suggests you try to resolve problems by attracting external (social) resources, search for information, emotional and effective support.

4. The least preferred coping skills are «positive revaluation» and «avoidance». Lawyers are less inclined to consider the situation only the positive aspects are more objective in assessing yourself and the situation.

This group of subjects do not tend to avoid problems, to shift responsibility for their own actions. Attempts to overcome negative experiences by type of denial of problems, fantasizing, unrealistic expectations, distraction, etc. for them not typical.

5. In addition, it should be noted that the sample of lawyers observed a greater variation in the levels of development of comingof — from 64,8 points to 30.2 points in contrast to the sample of police officers       (a range of indicators which varies from 52,9 to 43.5 points).
6. It should be emphasized that the significance of the influence of different psychological characteristics of personality on the level of development of coping strategies depends on the specific activity of the subject. This is confirmed by results of the carried out mini-research.

Subordination in the ranks of the police and the high level of dependency of actions on the decisions of senior management lead to the fact that police are less prone to emotional response and personal responsibility. This opens for them an opportunity for systematic thinking about solutions for office tasks, as evidenced by the data obtained. Along with this, care to finding only positive sides of the arisen problems is not always possible to objectively consider all aspects of the task for a more effective solution.

Lawyers in the nature of their activities more emotionally involved in the situation, sensitive to the situation of failure. Increasingly taking responsibility for the outcome themselves. High level of self-control is likely associated with need for full personal control over the situation. Furthermore, additional stress factors in the activity of lawyers are the need of obtaining a commercial profit and maintain the professional reputation of the lawyer.

Along with this, the public nature of lawyer's work leads us to use the strategy «search of social support». According to researchers, the information search support involves seeking advice and recommendations to the resource persons from the point of view of the Respondent the necessary knowledge. Need mostly emotional support manifested by the desire to be heard, to empathic response, to share their experiences with understanding and a compassionate person. When searching for primarily effective support leading is  the need of the help of specific actions or material resources. All these features are inherent to the professional activities of private lawyers.

Thus, as we have seen of studied materials on the subject of problem coping strategies is urgent and actively studied in the scientific community. We have studied such strategies of coping behavior as a «confrontation», «distancing», «self-control», «search of social support», «acceptance of responsibility», «avoidance», «systematic solution», «positive revaluation». Based  on empirical results of the conducted research, we came to the conclusion that the level of development of a coping is determined by the specifics of professional activity of specialists of the legal work.

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