Thesis (M.A.)--Brock University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [61]-77).

The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship between salutogenic functioning and sick leave. Occupational stress as a metatheoretical concept was investigated. Work is stressful, but some people cope better with this stress than others. A study of salutogenic functioning as a way of coping with occupational stress was done. Salutogenic constructs, as moderator variables of the coping abilities were investigated in relation to sick leave days. This research used a sample of 73 employees in PTM. The relationship between the employees' biographical variables, salutogenic functioning and sick leave was determined, and no relations between them were found, but a significant correlation between gender and potency was found. The results indicated no relation between PTM employees' salutogenic functioning and sick leave. Furthermore, biographical variables didn't predict sick leave. The employees displayed moderate to strong salutogenic functioning in terms of their ability to cope and to stay well. / M.A.(Industrial Psychology)

M.Ed. (Psychology of Education) / This research study originated from the belief that teachers in general, and secondary school teachers in particular, are under an inordinate amount of stress brought about largely as a result of their work as teachers and educators. Moving from that basic premise the research unfolded towards exploring at both theoretical and empirical level, the major causes and management of stress in education within a South African educational context. The study starts with a carefully structured Statement of the Problem, which provides valid reasons why this research is needed (i.e. the motivation for this study), it lists the key areas of concern under 'specific statement of problem', the details regarding the purpose and plan are made clear and finally the method of research is stated. The point is made in this chapter that the basic motive of this research study is to help teachers understand and manage stress in a far more efficient we. The second chapter introduces the challenges of Defining Stress and attempts to appraise several current definitions and approaches to this problem. After a consideration of the now classical General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), some pertinent reactions to stress are listed, the experience of stress is discussed and the three current approaches, or definitions of stress, namely: response-based, stimulus-based and interaction, are defined and debated.

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This large scale study (869 participants from a mental health Trust) employed a questionnaire based on an interactional model of occupational stress to investigate (i) burnout in psychiatric nurses, (ii) occupational stress in medics and the professions allied to medicine, (iii) job satisfaction in health service management and support staff, and (iv) the moderating effect of social support in health service personnel. A range of analytic procedures were used including hierarchical regression analysis. Levels of burnout in nurses were low overall, although a significant proportion reported higher levels of emotional exhaustion. Among nurses, negative affectivity and predictability acted as common factors across the three constructs of the burnout syndrome. Medics and professions allied to medicine (P.AM. 's) reported similar levels of stressors to each other. Role ambiguity, role conflict and predictability, in combination with negative affectivity, accounted for most of the reported work related stressors of medics and P.AM. 's. Levels of job satisfaction in management and support staff was on a par with their peers elsewhere. Role ambiguity, role conflict, job future ambiguity, control and non-occupational concerns had an influence on job satisfaction among management and support staff. A significant proportion of nurses, medics and P.AM.'s reported low levels of work support. Those most at risk in this regard appeared to be highly educated, community based, non-shift workers. Higher levels of support were associated with increased job satisfaction and lower levels of both emotional exhaustion and psychological distress. The model adopted in the present study, although not necessarily applicable to all occupational groups, had utility in understanding the complex relationships between variables in this population from a mental health Trust. Despite common themes emerging across occupational groups, clear differences were also apparent, reinforcing the need for tailor-made interventions in occupational stress. The results also highlighted the necessity of including individual characteristics and nonoccupational stressors in any consideration of occupational stress. Further recommendations for each occupational group and the NHS in general are discussed.

This study was inspired by the desire to understand the experience of mental health clinicians coping with work related stress in treating traumatized children. In studying this experience, heuristic design and methodology was followed. The findings of this study are based on interviews of 3 Caucasian, female clinicians, a 49-year-old art therapist with eight years experience, a 61-year-old licensed clinical social worker with 34 years of postgraduate experience, and a 44-year-old licensed clinical social worker with 21 years of experience. Mental health practitioners, clinical supervisors and consultants as well as professionals in counselor education benefit from the findings of this study that extends knowledge of effective coping with work related stress in treating traumatized children. Participants in this study coped by using the following core characteristics the most often: seeking emotional and instrumental support from others, maintaining balance in work and private life, staying spiritually oriented, participating in leisure activities, focusing on health and using cognitive restructuring techniques. The least mentioned was the use of humor. Four themes permeated the experience of these clinicians: (1) Maintaining Balance: Coping included maintaining a balance in work and private life; (2) Healthy Personal Identity: Coping successfully meant keeping the career as work and not a definition of the self; (3) Clear Role Definition: Coping to continue the work included increased focus on professional and personal boundaries and the role of the clinician; (4) Realistic Control: Successful coping included differentiating between what can and can't be controlled. This study also found that part of coping with work-related stress meant moving from the public sector into private enterprise. In private practice, participants found that coping with stress improved with the decrease of high client caseload requirements and the ability to screen potential clientele for the purpose of creating a balance in treatment issues. Overall, this study found that the experience of coping successfully with work-related stress had a great deal to do with increased professional autonomy. / Graduation date: 2003

M.A. (Psychology) / The purpose of this study was to establish whether stress at various levels of management􀌀 namely Executive 1 Senior and Middle Management levels and between various Companies differed depending on personality related. environment related and family related variables. The theoretical basis for this study was that potential causes of stress (independent variables) such as person, environment, and family related variables manifested in stress (dependent variables) leading to physical and emotional ill-health and certain behavioural manifestations ...