Date of Conferral

9-4-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Melayne Smith

Abstract

Law enforcement agencies across the United States are facing critical challenges with the recruitment and retention of officers. This study examined whether differences existed in occupational resilience and turnover intentions across generations of active law enforcement personnel, and whether resilience levels were correlated with turnover intentions. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was used to collect data via an online survey that included the Predictive 6-Factor Resilience Scale and the Expanded Multidimensional Turnover Intentions Scale. The sample consisted of 241 active members of law enforcement. There were two one-way ANOVA tests conducted to assess generational differences in resilience and turnover intention scores, and a Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient test was conducted to assess correlations between resilience and turnover intentions. Results revealed a small yet statistically significant difference in resilience scores between Generation X and Generation Y, with Generation X scoring higher in resilience. There were no differences found in turnover intentions across generations. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between resilience and turnover intentions, indicating that as resilience scores increased, turnover intention scores decreased. These findings suggest that resilience may serve as a protective factor against turnover in law enforcement. This research contributes to positive social change by identifying resilience as a trainable skillset that can be used to inform retention-focused interventions and support the proactive mental wellness of law enforcement personnel across generations.

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