Exploring the mediating roles of cognitive and behavioural coping strategies on the relationship between age and well-being

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible mediating role of various cognitive and behavioural coping strategies on the relationship between age and psychological (i.e., cognitive and somatic anxiety) and physiological (i.e., chronic fatigue, digestive and cardiovascular symptoms) well-being. Fourteen specific individual coping strategies (four disengagement, four engagement, and six behavioural) were assessed in this study. The four disengagement and four engagement coping styles were taken from the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI) included in the Standard Shiftwork Index (SSI), while the six behavioural coping strategies were based on recommendations published within the shiftwork literature (e.g., exercising, altering family or social life commitments to fit in with working shifts, advising friends and family about shift patterns, etc). Three open-ended questions were also included in the questionnaire allowing shiftworkers to provide further contextual detail about the specific coping strategies utilised. One hundred and eight Police Officers with at least 12 months shiftworking experience completed a modified version of the SSI and an active coping questionnaire. A series of exploratory stepwise regressions provided evidence that shiftworkers utilise a constellation of different coping strategies, and that each of these coping strategies may mediate specific aspects of the relationship between age and psychological and/or physiological well-being. Comments from shiftworkers provided further evidence for the variety of coping strategies utilised to help adapt to shiftwork.