The purpose of this study was to investigate relationships between person-environment fit (P-E fit) and occupational stress in Ball State University employees. A randomly-selected stratified sample of 400 employees from four different employee categories were invited to participate in this study anonymously. Participants completed a demographic information sheet and three questionnaires: the Work Environment Scale, Ideal (WES-I) and Real (WES-R) versions, and the Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI). Two hundred and thirty one subjects returned test packets. One hundred and sixty and one hundred and forty seven participants, respectively, had complete sets of information for the actual discrepancy and perceived discrepancy which could be used for data analysis. Canonical correlation was used to examine the number and nature of mutually independent relationships between occupational stress and person environment fit (three subscales on the OSI and three subscales on the WES). The results showed no significant canonical correlation for perceived discrepancy. The significant canonical correlation indicates that the occupational roles subscale of the OSI is strongly correlated with the P-E fit system maintenance and change and less strongly related to the P-E fit relationships subscale of the WES. This study has implications for worksite stress management interventions. It is recommended that organizational interventions be emphasized more than individual interventions. These results also provide empirical support for an ecological model of health promotion and a systemic or organismic view of the world. Further study is recommended. / Institute for Wellness

This study investigated the personal medication management practices of some Medicare eligible university retirees and their dependents. This is important since older adults often take multiple medications and are more susceptible to adverse reactions and interactions. The general hypothesis regarding where retirees medications are obtained and their understanding of their use was not supported. Responses to the research questions revealed a higher level of understanding and compliance than previously reported by others. Also, they are unlikely to participate in an employer sponsored educational intervention. This may be related to the educational level of the sample. Suggestions for future research including sample selection, questionnaire wording and scaling are discussed. / Fisher Institute for Wellness and Gerontology

Using McClusky"s (1963) Power Load Margin (PLM) theory, this study employed a correlational research design to investigate if relationships existed between involvement in career-related professional development outlets and activities, and Margin in Life (MIL) scores for full-time student affairs professionals at Ball State University. Correlation coefficients (Pearson r) were calculated to determine if relationships existed between MIL scores and the number of career-related professional development outlets and activities. Partial correlation coefficients were calculated to determine if relationships existed between subjects' ages and the relationship between MIL scores and the number of career-related professional development outlets and activities.Subjects (n = 107) were identified using the 2004-2005 Ball State University Directory and mailed a Professional Development Questionnaire (PDQ), created by the researcher, and Stevenson's (1982) Margin in Life Scale. Responses from 64 subjects were used in this study (31 females and 33 males). Subjects' ages ranged from 22 to 67 years (M = 41.5 years).PDQ results indicated that subjects averaged involvement in 10.6 outlets in the previous 12 months. Six indicated involvement in more than 20 outlets. Excluding these responses, the mean for outlets was 8.8. The mean for activities was 8.4.The mean MIL score for subjects was .60. All subjects in this study had a sufficient amount of power; thus, no subject had an excessive amount of load.Results of the correlational analyses suggest the possibility that a negative correlation may exist between MIL scores and the number of career-related professional development outlets. Although the correlation and partial correlation coefficients were weak, this may have been a function of the relatively small number of subjects who participated in this study. Additional research with a larger subject population is suggested to investigate this possible relationship. No relationship was found between MIL scores and career-related professional development activities. No differences in relationships between outlets and activities, and MIL scores were found when the age of subjects was factored either in or out as an influence. Further PLM research in student affairs is suggested, including qualitative methods investigating areas of professional development relating to power, load, and margin. / Department of Educational Studies

The purpose of this study was to explore, from readily available data, the best predictors of medical claims costs at Ball State University (BSU). Multiple regression equations were developed to predict BSU's medical claims costs from selected demographic and health-related measures among 1,799 BSU employees. The predictors were chosen from data previously collected during the three-year study period: July 1, 1995 to June 30, 1998. Regression equations were developed for the entire BSU population and the high-cost population. The linear composite of number of emergency room visits, number of chronic health problems, gender and age predicted 17.86% of the variation in transformed medical claims costs for the entire BSU population. The linear composite of age, number of emergency room visits and gender predicted 9.95% of the variation in transformed medical claims costs for high-cost BSU employees. Logistic regression, performed on the entire BSU population, did not differentiate low and highcost employees well: only 15.0% of high-cost employees were classified correctly. / Fisher Institute for Wellness