Self-regulation style and associated coping behaviour among the employees of the EMERCOM of Russia
The article presents the results of a study into the relationship between self-regulation style and coping behaviour among the employees of the EMERCOM of Russia. We assumed that conscious self-regulation style of EMERCOM employees influences their choice of coping strategies. In previous studies, the relationship between self-regulation and coping behaviour was investigated on a sample of adolescents (N. V. Nizhegorodtseva, S. S. Tarasov), Russian and foreign students (T. N. Banshchikova, M.L. Sokolovsky), and law enforcement officers (V. A. Rogachev, I. N. Konopleva). However, there has been little research into this relationship in EMERCOM employees, despite the fact that effective self-regulation and constructive coping strategies are a prerequisite for such a high-stress job. The following questionnaires were used in the study: Self-Regulation Style-98 (edited by V. I. Morosanova), Ways of Coping Questionnaire by R. Lazarus (adapted by T. L. Kryukova, E. V. Kuftyak and M. S. Zamyshlyaeva). The study involved 30 employees of the Federal State Budgetary Institution 4th Detachment of the Federal Fire Service in the Kirov Region Fire Station No. 52 aged 21 to 59 years, with work experience ranging from 11 months to 37 years. The respondents were found to rank low in Flexibility and Independence factors, indicating their discomfort in a rapidly changing situation and dependence on the assessments and opinions of others. No single preferred coping strategy was identified. At the same time, several correlations between individuals’ self-regulation styles and their coping behaviour were found: the Planning self-regulation style is associated with the Confrontation, Solution Planning and Positive Reassessment coping strategies, while the Analytical self-regulation style and the Distancing coping strategy are inversely related. Evidently, the more EMERCOM employees are able to set goals and plan their activities, the better they can actively combat stress and other difficulties through purposeful analysis of their situation and their potential responses, seeing pressure as an opportunity for personal growth. Moreover, the better they identify key steps for achieving their goals, the lower is their tendency to cope through devaluating the situation and lowering their emotional involvement in it.