2026 IJRSE – Volume 15 Issue 5
Available Online: 12 March 2026
Author/s:
Libadia, Hubert Israel O.*
Nueva Vizcaya State University, Philippines (israel_018@yahoo.com)
Vadil, Carlo F.
Nueva Vizcaya State University, Philippines (drvadil888@yahoo.com)
Agustin, Arnel A.
Nueva Vizcaya State University, Philippines
Abstract:
The development of valid and reliable research instruments is essential in ensuring the accuracy and credibility of empirical studies, particularly those examining complex psychological constructs such as occupational stress and coping strategies among police officers. This study aimed to develop and validate two instruments designed to measure the operational stressors experienced by police officers and the coping strategies they use to manage work-related stress. The instruments developed were the Police Officers’ Primary Operational Stressors Questionnaire and the Police Officers’ Coping Strategies Questionnaire, both structured using a Likert-scale format. The Police Officers’ Primary Operational Stressors Questionnaire consisted of 40 items grouped into eight dimensions: operational workload and job demands, exposure to trauma and critical incidents, organizational and administrative pressures, public interactions and community relations, legal and accountability stressors, resource limitations and environmental constraints, interpersonal and team-related stressors, and work–family conflict. Meanwhile, the Police Officers’ Coping Strategies Questionnaire contained 24 items organized into four dimensions: problem-focused coping, emotion-focused coping, avoidance coping, and support-seeking coping. To ensure content validity, both instruments were evaluated by a panel of experts composed of university research professors and members of the institutional examination board. The experts assessed the clarity, relevance, and appropriateness of each item to ensure alignment with the intended constructs. After the validation process, a pilot test was conducted among 15 police officers from the Philippine National Police station in Dupax del Norte to assess the reliability of the instruments. Reliability analysis using Cronbach’s alpha produced coefficients of 0.916 for the operational stressors questionnaire and 0.875 for the coping strategies questionnaire, indicating excellent and strong internal consistency. These results confirmed that the developed instruments are valid and reliable tools for measuring operational stressors and coping strategies among police officers. The validated questionnaires may be used in future research and organizational assessments to support stress management initiatives and promote police officers’ well-being.
Keywords: operational stressors, coping strategies, police officers, instrument development, reliability, validity, occupational stress
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26108
Cite this article:
Libadia, H. I. O., Vadil, C. F., & Agustin, A. A. (2026). Development and validation of research instruments for measuring operational stressors and coping strategies among police officers. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 15(5), 189-197. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2026.26108
* Corresponding Author