Date of Conferral
4-15-2025
Date of Award
April 2025
Degree
Ph.D.
School
Psychology
Advisor
Jana Price-Sharps
Abstract
This qualitative study aimed to examine how female law enforcement executives perceive the use of mental health wellness in their professions. The phenomenological design provided an increased understanding of the lived experiences of those interviewed, specifically regarding their use of mental health wellness. The snowball sampling technique was utilized to recruit seven female law enforcement executives at the Sheriff, Under Sheriff, Chief, or Deputy Chief rank. One-on-one interviews were completed, data collected from the interviews was transcribed using NVivo software, and collectively, common themes amongst the participants’ interviews were identified. The gap in the research and the associated qualitative interview processes addressed how female law enforcement executives perceive the use of mental health wellness. The theoretical framework for this study was based on the theory of industrial organization of work, stress, coping, and stress management. Research uncovered how proactive training, such as mentoring, succession planning, and goal setting, may create a proactive attribution to an officer's overall mental health wellness. With this research, positive social change can be achieved by building a law enforcement culture that supports mental health wellness, ultimately benefiting female executives and all those they serve.
Recommended Citation
Baughman, Cindy Elizabeth, "Mental Health Wellness for Female Law Enforcement Executives and Their Perception of Proactive Mindsets" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17576.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17576
