Emotional Intelligence, Stress, and Cardiovascular Disease in Law Enforcement Officers

Law enforcement has been identified as one of the most stressful occupations; moreover, law enforcement officers have been found to be more likely to die prematurely when compared to other occupations. Associations have been identified between emotional intelligence and the reduction of stress, which may reduce one of its controllable associated health risks, cardiovascular disease. This atheoretical study investigated the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease, and whether emotional intelligence mediated that relationship. A convenience sample of 82 law enforcement officers from North Central United States completed the Emotional Intelligence Appraisal, the Operational Police Stress Questionnaire, and a combined demographic and health questionnaire via Survey Monkey. Data were analyzed using a moderated regression analysis and associated Pearson correlations. The results were inconclusive and showed that emotional intelligence did not mediate the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease. Despite these inconclusive results, they nevertheless promote positive social change by eliminating the focus of emotional intelligence as a mediating variable between stress and cardiovascular disease, at least among this population. Further research is recommended on these variables, including the creation of a standardized emotional intelligence-measuring instrument. A replication of this study may benefit from the use of a metropolitan law enforcement sample who experience higher stress levels due to the size of the community they serve. Evidence supports the importance of reducing stress to control the development of cardiovascular disease found among law enforcement officers.