Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Drug Enforcement Officers in Ilocos Region: Towards an Intervention Program

Kathy Dean Flores Pineda

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.61253

Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Drug Enforcement Officers in Ilocos Region: Towards an Intervention Program

Author(s)	Ms. Kathy Dean Flores Pineda
Country	Philippines
Abstract	Drug Enforcement Officers in the Philippines face a range of occupational stressors intensified by the government’s aggressive anti-drug campaign. While much attention has been given to the policy’s broader societal impacts, limited research has focused on how officers themselves experience and manage these stressors. Thus, this study aimed to identify the factors that cause stress among drug enforcement officers, examine how they manage this stress, and determine the coping mechanisms they practice. A descriptive-quantitative design was employed, using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to drug enforcement officers from the PDEA Regional Office I. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s r correlation to assess stress levels, coping techniques, and the relationship between stress and coping orientations. The study found that drug enforcement officers primarily experienced moderate workplace-related stress and minimal organizational or political stress. They frequently employed adaptive coping strategies such as prayer, planning, and active coping. However, higher organizational stress was linked to increased use of maladaptive strategies like denial and mental disengagement. Notably, workplace stress negatively correlated with active coping, suggesting that as stress levels rose, the use of effective coping strategies decreased. It was concluded that drug enforcement officers experience moderate operational stress and rely primarily on adaptive coping strategies; however, increasing organizational stress can lead to more maladaptive responses. Therefore, it is recommended that the organization adopt targeted interventions that address operational stressors, strengthen organizational support, and reinforce adaptive coping through wellness programs, counseling, and stress debriefing initiatives.
Keywords	Occupational Stress, Coping Mechanisms, Drug Enforcement Officers, Ilocos Region, Intervention Program
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 6, November-December 2025
Published On	2025-11-22
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i06.61253
Short DOI	https://doi.org/hbb77w

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Stress and Coping Mechanisms of Drug Enforcement Officers in Ilocos Region: Towards an Intervention Program

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