Date of Conferral

4-21-2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Grace Telesco

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study examined how Florida police officers perceived changes in their spiritual and religious beliefs following prolonged exposure to critical incidents. The research question asked how officers interpreted, adapted, and transformed their spiritual or religious beliefs in response to repeated critical incident exposure. Nine sworn frontline officers participated and were interviewed using a semi structured protocol. Transcripts were analyzed inductively using thematic analysis. Three primary findings emerged: (1) Career and Impact captured cumulative occupational exposure that prompted moral appraisal and coping, and participants did not report uniform loss of faith; (2) Spiritual Belief followed three common trajectories—stability, strengthening/reaffirmation, or negotiated transformation—depending on incident intensity, prior belief flexibility, and availability of supports (family, clinical care, clergy); and (3) Spiritual Perception (rituals, on scene prayer, felt providence) provided immediate affect regulation and a renewed sense of purpose but produced durable resilience only when integrated with social and clinical resources. These results contributed to a fuller understanding of officer wellbeing by centering spiritual dimensions of coping and informed practice oriented recommendations (post incident decompression options, confidential chaplain access, and spiritual literacy training).

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