PROFESSIONAL BURNOUT OF EMPLOYEES OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS BODIES UNDER MARTIAL LAW: A STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS

Abstract

The article presents the results of an empirical study of professional burnout among employees of internal affairs bodies under martial law as a complex, multidimensional psychological phenomenon formed under the influence of prolonged exposure to extreme stressors. The relevance of the study is determined by the specific nature of law enforcement activities during an armed conflict, which is characterized by a high level of responsibility, constant life-threatening risks, a deficit of recovery resources, and chronic psychological traumatization. These factors contribute to the development of maladaptive conditions, among which professional burnout occupies a leading position, affecting both the effectiveness of professional activity and the mental health of the individual. The aim of the study is to identify and conduct a structural analysis of psychological factors determining the development of professional burnout among employees of internal affairs bodies under martial law. The study examines the classical components of burnout – emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment – in relation to individual psychological and socio-psychological characteristics. In particular, the relationships between burnout levels and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, indicators of psychoemotional resilience, the presence of somatic complaints, as well as the level of perceived social support are analyzed. The methodological basis of the study consists of a set of standardized psychodiagnostics methods that made it possible to carry out a quantitative assessment of the studied indicators. Correlation and regression analysis methods were used to process the empirical data, which made it possible to identify the leading predictors of professional burnout and to construct its structural model. The obtained results indicate that the key predictors of emotional exhaustion are the intensity of posttraumatic stress symptoms and the level of somatic burden, which reflect the depth of psychophysiological depletion of the individual.