A Grounded Theory Approach on Correctional Officers' Adaptation Process of Job Stress

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the adaptation process of correctional officers’ job stress. Methods: Participants collected were fourteen officers who had experienced the adaptation process of job stress. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews until the point of theoretical saturation from May to August, 2017. Transcribed interview contents were analyzed using Corbin and Strauss’ grounded theory method. Results: A total of 98 concepts, 27 subcategories, and 10 categories were identified through the open coding. As a result of axial coding based on the paradigm model, the job stress adaptation process centering phenomenon of correctional officers was revealed as ‘repeat-mark hardening’, and the core category was extracted as ‘endurance in hardening’ consisting of a three-step process: enduring, understanding prisoner management procedures, and rebuilding. The rebuilding was considered as the key phase to escape the repeat-mark hardening and the participants utilized various strategies such as finding fun elsewhere, restoring confidence, accepting values of the prison officer in this phase. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the adaptation process of correctional officers’ job stress can be a process that endurance the hardening. Therefore, it is necessary to develop systematic practical education and vocational motivation programs.