Avaliação dos impactos organizacionais de um programa de gerenciamento de estresse: a experiência da Polícia Militar da Bahia

Abstract

The research proposes an evaluation of a stress management program developed by an international humanitarian organization - the Art of Living - applied in a Bahian police organization. Recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of the research, theoretical frameworks on social management, social connection and program evaluation were articulated, with an emphasis on social psychology, aimed at evaluating stress management programs. As an initial strategy, the research was designed to conduct a pilot study using a quantitative method with an emphasis on gauging biomarkers that would make it possible to assess the efficacy of SKY Program, prioritizing measuring the levels of anxiety, subjective stress, depression and quality of life of selected police officers. Due to the limitations caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was decided to include a qualitative research into the study in order to assess the managers' perception of the Program's results, which was carried out through interviews with managers (commanders) of the Police units involved. The following most relevant results deserve to be highlighted as gains from the study: (i) the expansion of the interdisciplinary debate in the field of social management, through the establishment of dialogue with the concept of social connection and social psychology; (ii) the design of the pilot research study to evaluate the effectiveness of the Stress Management Program at PM-BA; (iii) the design of a complementary qualitative methodology to assess managers’ perception; and (iv) the development of a Technology in Social Management (TGS), CRIAR, which innovates the design of a process assessment tool to evaluate stress management programs that articulates interdisciplinary knowledge in the areas of occupational stress management, social management, social connection and program / policy evaluation. The CRIAR methodology stands out for integrating moderating evaluation variables that reflect the role that (inter) organizational contexts assume as integrators of individual changes (psychological and socio-emotional tools), in the short term, and social transformations, in the long term, agreed between the actors involved in the Program.