An investigation into the relationship between smoking and psychopathology, personality, trauma and job satisfaction at the police department of Çeşme

Objectives: The aim of this study, following the identification of the smokers and non-smokers at the police department, is to determine the underlying causes for smoking and whether nicotine addiction, job satisfaction, psychological effects, personality traits and traumatic lifestyles have a relationship with the smoking behaviour. Given the nature of the profession and being exposed to high risk situations, the officers need to be analysed for traumatic pasts and personality profiles in order to obtain a good understanding of their situation and to provide them with support. Through which the aim is to stabilise the mood of the personnel, ensure a positive view of the job and increase job satisfaction with which they would be better prepared in the future for the duty requirements. Methodology: Research was conducted on 100 active officers belonging to the Police Department of Çesme (8%female – 92% male). Prior to participating in this research, the officers were made aware that their participation was voluntary. They were asked to complete the questions in the booklets in one sitting and the questions were composed of Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence, Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), Big Five Inventory and Trauma Experience Checklist. Findings: 82% of the participants were smokers and the remaining 18% were nonsmokers. In accordance with the obtained data, there is no relationship between smoking and demographic properties of the participants. Statistically according to the t-test and Mann-Whitney U test (p>0.05), smoking was not at all related to job satisfaction, psychological symptoms, personality traits and traumatic lives of the participating officers. However, when mean data was analysed it was found to support the hypothesis. Nicotine addiction was also found to have no correlation with job VIII satisfaction, personality traits and traumatic lives of the participating officers. There was a positive relationship (p<0.05) with regards to the "anxiety" subscale between nicotine addiction and symptom screening test (SCL-90). The relationship between the big five traits, openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism subscales, subscores and general job satisfaction subscore were statistically significant (p<0.05). Statistically negative significance was found between general job satisfaction subscore and SCL90 depression and hostility subscales subscore. Between personality traits and symptoms check list and SCL90‟s subscales ; extraversion and "hostility" and "depression" were statistically negatively significant,between conscientiousness and "somatization", "obsessivecompulsive", "interpersonal sensitivity‟‟, "depression", "anxiety", "hostility" "paranoid ideation", "psychoticism", "supplement subscale" subscales were statistically negatively significant; agreeableness and "hostility" scale were statistically negatively significant; neuroticism and "obsessive-compulsive" "depression", "hostility", "supplement subscale" subscales subscorewere statistically positively significant. Conclusion: When hiring personnel looking into the physical, emotional and motivational stability of the individuals as well as increasing the quality and the labour force of the psychological units would allow for those who experience problems to be provided with occupational opportunities would in all be beneficial to the employees of the Department. The development of smoking cessation programs, the implementation of employment specific quitting programs and through providing education in this area is thought to reduce smokers not only within the police force but in society at large. Keywords: Smoking, Job satisfaction, Personality Traits, Trauma, Psychopathology