The impact of emotional contagion on burnout of police constables with the mediating role of emotional resilience

Abstract

Purpose: Human resources are the backbone of every organization. This study explores the impact of Emotional contagion on the burnout of police constables with the mediating role of emotional resilience. This research aims to carefully determine and examine the mediating role of emotional resilience on the relationship between emotional contagion and burnout of police constables in the police department in the Kurunegala district. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research approach is applied for this study, adopting a sample of 120, selected through the simple random sampling method, from the population of 120 police constables in the police department in the Kurunegala district. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS software version 21, with descriptive and inferential analyses performed to decipher the complex relationships between variables. Findings: As per the results of multiple regression results, four hypotheses (H2: β= .209, p=.004), (H3: β= -547, p=.000), (H4: β=.454, p=.000) and (H6: β=.189, p=.022) were accepted while (H5: β=-.189, p=.008) was rejected. The mediation analysis indicated a partial mediation effect of emotional resilience on the impact of emotional contagion on burnout. The findings suggest that emotional resilience negatively affects emotional contagion and subsequently reduces burnout among police constables in the police department in Kurunegala. Practical implications: These results contribute to the growing body of research on workplace dynamics, highlighting the intricate relationship between interpersonal relationships and professional outcomes in police departments. Originality value: The findings of this study will be a better guide for the administrative police department, non-gazette officers, policymakers, decisionmakers, and other concerned agencies