Understanding the psychological challenges faced by police officers was at the heart of the research carried out by Ana Moreno as part of her doctoral thesis at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Portuguese Catholic University (FEP‑UCP). Entitled “MENTAL HEALTH NEUROFORCE: A Multilevel Analysis of Mental Health, Stressors and Training Needs Among Police Forces”, the thesis provides an in‑depth analysis of occupational stressors, coping mechanisms and training needs related to mental health in police settings. 

The work was developed within the International PhD in Applied Psychology and forms part of the international project Mental Health NeuroForce, a consortium focused on promoting psychological resilience and well‑being among security forces. The research represents a relevant contribution to a field characterised by high emotional demands and by a persistent stigma surrounding mental health. 

“My doctoral project was a first step towards shaping this objective, focusing on the characterisation of the main occupational stressors (…) and contributing a foundation for future stress‑resilience promotion interventions,” explains Ana Moreno. 

Social and institutional relevance of the research 

The motivation underlying the research is based on the social importance of police forces and on the need to give visibility to the psychological conditions associated with the profession. The thesis sought to listen to professionals themselves regarding the main challenges they face, the key moderating factors of their well‑being, the psychological support resources available, and the relevance of interventions focused on emotional regulation and stress management. 

Conducted in Portugal and Spain, the study made it possible to analyse different institutional contexts that nevertheless share common challenges, such as high exposure to critical incidents, the influence of organisational factors, and difficulties in seeking or accessing psychological support. The findings reinforce the need for more consistent institutional responses, tailored to the emotional demands of policing. 

Methodology and main findings 

The research was structured in two main phases. The first focused on characterising occupational and organisational challenges and on the role of coping in psychological well‑being. The second centred on the design of a pilot stress‑resilience intervention using biofeedback. The methodology combined quantitative data, including self‑report instruments and physiological measures, with qualitative data collected through open‑ended questions. 

Among the main findings is the high prevalence of stress among police officers and its significant impact on psychological well‑being. In Portugal, the use of coping strategies such as suppression emerged as one of the strongest predictors of stress, while emotional differentiation showed a protective effect. Despite the high stress levels identified, only around 17% of officers with stress levels considered excessive sought professional psychological support. 

In Spain, both operational and organisational stressors proved to be significant predictors of clinical symptoms. Avoidant coping strategies emerged as an important risk factor, while problem‑focused coping had a protective effect, particularly in relation to depressive symptoms. The research also identified differences associated with gender, namely greater vulnerability to depressive symptoms among men, and with length of service, with higher stress levels among younger officers. These findings highlight the complexity of psychological adaptation processes throughout a police career. 

International dimension and scientific output 

The thesis was supervised by Patrícia Oliveira‑Silva, a lecturer at FEP‑UCP, with co‑supervision by Rowena Hill (Nottingham Trent University) and Susanna Rubiol Vilalta (Universitat Ramon Llull), reflecting a strong international dimension. This collaboration enriched the scientific quality of the work and strengthened links between research and practice, including outreach initiatives aimed at professionals in the field. 

As part of her doctoral work, Ana Moreno produced several scientific articles, some already published and others currently in the process of publication, exploring different dimensions of stress, coping and resilience in police contexts. Among these is a systematic literature review on stress‑resilience promotion programmes for police officers, previously reported on the FEP‑UCP website. This review concludes that such interventions are effective in improving mental health and professional performance, although there remains a need for more homogeneous models in terms of structure, content and impact assessment. 

“Completing this doctorate was a decisive moment in my path as an academic and researcher (…) and reinforced my belief that research can have a real and applied impact on social problems,” the researcher emphasises. 

More than the culmination of an academic journey, the thesis paves the way for the continuation of the project and the development of future interventions aimed at promoting mental health and psychological resilience within security forces. 

The thesis was defended on 27 January 2026 at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa.