Expression of Emotional and Volitional Qualities of Law Enforcement Officers with Different Levels of Fatigue

An unfavorable mental state of fatigue arises as a result of any professional activity, including in the activities of employees of internal affairs bodies, and negatively affects the quality and effectiveness of their operational and official tasks. In this context, the volitional qualities of the personality of employees of internal affairs bodies are of particular importance, since they allow them to overcome obstacles and cope with difficulties, and ensure the regulation of behavior in accordance with the requirements imposed on employees. The purpose of the study is to establish the relationship between the emotional and volitional qualities of a person and the fatigue of employees of internal affairs bodies, as well as to identify differences in their severity among employees with different levels of fatigue. The study was conducted at the St. Petersburg University of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia, and 171 law enforcement officers participated as respondents. A set of psychodiagnostic techniques was used: the questionnaire for the diagnosis of volitional qualities of personality ("ON" by M.V. Chumakov), the questionnaire "Subjective assessment of personality fatigue" ("SOU", S.V. Dukhnovsky, E.K. Shelepina). During the correlation analysis, it was found that an increase in fatigue correlates with a decrease in such strong-willed qualities as responsibility, initiative, endurance, perseverance, energy and attentiveness. It has been established that employees with a low level of fatigue are characterized by determination, discipline, independence, as well as pronounced leadership qualities; with an average level – performance, willingness to perform monotonous activities. Whereas employees with a high level of fatigue are characterized by inattention, lack of initiative, emotionality, decreased energy and activity. Accordingly, the development of strong-willed qualities can act as a resource that supports the performance of employees at the proper level, without changing their mental state in an unfavorable way.