The purpose of this study was to examine Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) stress and coping theory in the context of workplace stress and coping with a focus on the influence of personal and cultural resources on cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, and the well-being of Chinese who are currently employed in professional occupations overseas. The data were collected from a volunteer sample of 228 overseas Chinese professionals (128 men, 100 women, M age = 32.6). Participants completed three sets of questionnaires over a six-week period (2 weeks apart). Specific variables of interest included cultural, social, and personal resources (Chinese collective values, perceived social support and work support, and general self-efficacy), situational appraisals (perceived situational control and self-efficacy), ways of coping (Engagement, Disengagement, and Collective strategies), and changes in short-term outcomes (job satisfaction, somatic symptoms, and depression symptoms). Items that assessed collective ways of coping were developed for this study. Significant differences were found between men and women in this sample. As such, path analysis (LISREL VIII) was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the model separately for men and women. Based on a zero-order correlation matrix, the results for the initial hypothesized path models indicated a moderate fitting model for men and an inadequate fitting model for women. However, modified models revealed a good model fit for both men and women, X 2 (29, N=128)=32.72, p=.29, Q=1.13, RMSR=.05, GFI=.96, and CFI=. 98, and X 2 (29, N=100)=44.10, p=.04, Q=1.52, GFI=.93, RMSR-.07, and CFI=.92, respectively. The pattern of relationships (path coefficients) provide partial supports for the hypothesized model and Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theoretical assumptions. The results of this study were consistent with those obtained by other researchers who found that coping resources are associated with coping strategies and short-term outcomes (e.g., Long, Kahn, & Schutz, 1992; Terry, Tonge, & Callan, 1995). For the men, personal resources of General Self-efficacy were positively related to control appraisal, Work Support predicted Collective coping, and Social Support was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. As expected, Disengagement coping was found to have a significant effect on depressive symptoms for the men. For the women, General Self-efficacy and Social Support were associated with perceived self-efficacy, and predicted an increase in job satisfaction and a decrease in depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy appraisal had negative effects on Disengagement coping. As hypothesized, Engagement coping was negatively associated with changes in somatic symptoms, and Disengagement coping predicted changes in both somatic and depressive symptoms. The results Of factor analysis supported the development of a Collective coping subscale. Implications of these results and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Police officers are subject to stressors from traumatic incidents, day to day policing duties as well as organizational sources. This quantitative study examined 195 serving police officers in the Vancouver Police Department to determine what if any relationship existed between any prevalence of traumatic symptoms and their years of experience as police officers. Trauma symptoms were measured through the use of the Trauma Symptom Inventory, which was administered to a randomly selected sample. The sample was divided into seven groups based on years of completed service; recruits, 0<2 years, 2<5 years, 5<10 years, 10<15 years, 15<20 years and 20+ years. While the recruit group showed a spike on the validity scale of Response Level and there were spikes in Anger/Irritability and Depression among the 2<5 years and 20+ groups respectively, most of the significant scores were among the group 10<15 years. This group showed significantly elevated scores in Atypical Responses, Anxious Arousal, Anger/Irritability, Depression, Intrusive Experience, Defensive Avoidance and Impaired Self Reference. In terms of support the respondents indicated through a demographic questionnaire that Family Support was the one most frequently endorsed at the high level, followed by Social Support and then by Peer Support. There was also low levels of endorsement of the Critical Item on the TSI that had to do with hurting others and problems due to alcohol consumption and sexual behaviour. Empirical support and personal experiences of the researcher are provided as explanations for the trends. The number of females in the latter groups was limited due to the demographics of the population. Several recommendations are made for future research as well as recommendations to the Vancouver Police Department to address the findings with their sworn members.

This researcher examined the correlation between leadership style and stress encountered by Indiana high school principals responsible for students in grades nine through twelve only. A review of the literature revealed a considerable amount of literature was written relevant to administrators and stress during the 1970's and 1980's. However, a large portion of that literature was based on opinion and not research. The flurry of writing and research that emerged during the 1970's and 1980's was not extended as fervently into the 1990's or the new millennium.In attempts to reform schools, the principal's role is at the forefront of the change effort. Change carries with it increasing obligations and responsibilities. Principals are also working in an environment of high accountability pressuring them to improve student achievement. The high demand for increased accountability and the growing responsibilities have translated into new sources of stress for administrators.Leadership was categorized into four major leadership styles based on the ABC Leadership Assessment: Controller, Team Builder, Manager, and Creator. Stress was characterized according to a factor analysis of the Administrative Stress Index which categorized stress as task-oriented or relationship-oriented.The research hypothesis was stated in the null as the researcher had no predisposition to the direction of the relationship between levels of perceived stress and types of leadership style. Data were collected from 26 principals in the East Central Indiana Public School Study Council. The ABC Leadership Assessment survey was used to measure the independent variable (leadership style). The Administrative Stress Index survey was utilized to measure the dependent variable (stress).A significant correlation was found between two of the four leadership styles and the level of perceived stress of the participating high school principals. The two significant correlations were found to exist with the Controller and Creator Leadership styles and stress. Principals who scored themselves as possessing the Controller Leadership style demonstrated a positive relationship in both task-oriented and relationship-oriented stress. An inverse relationship for principals who rated themselves as possessing high leadership skills in the Creator Leadership style was also revealed through the data.The analysis of the stress survey from this study revealed a top loading of stressors in the task-oriented category as did the stress survey analysis conducted by Swent and Gmelch (1977) and Brimm (1983). The stress factor, disciplining staff, was added to the Administrative Stress Index by this researcher based on personal experience. A major finding relevant to this study was the fact that the administrators ranked disciplining staff as the number one perceived stressor. Administrators participating in this study confirmed that disciplining teachers is a major stressor in today's demanding and changing educational environment. / Department of Educational Leadership

Police officers are subject to stressors from traumatic incidents, day to day policing duties as well as organizational sources. This quantitative study examined 195 serving police officers in the Vancouver Police Department to determine what if any relationship existed between any prevalence of traumatic symptoms and their years of experience as police officers. Trauma symptoms were measured through the use of the Trauma Symptom Inventory, which was administered to a randomly selected sample. The sample was divided into seven groups based on years of completed service; recruits, 0<2 years, 2<5 years, 5<10 years, 10<15 years, 15<20 years and 20+ years. While the recruit group showed a spike on the validity scale of Response Level and there were spikes in Anger/Irritability and Depression among the 2<5 years and 20+ groups respectively, most of the significant scores were among the group 10<15 years. This group showed significantly elevated scores in Atypical Responses, Anxious Arousal, Anger/Irritability, Depression, Intrusive Experience, Defensive Avoidance and Impaired Self Reference. In terms of support the respondents indicated through a demographic questionnaire that Family Support was the one most frequently endorsed at the high level, followed by Social Support and then by Peer Support. There was also low levels of endorsement of the Critical Item on the TSI that had to do with hurting others and problems due to alcohol consumption and sexual behaviour. Empirical support and personal experiences of the researcher are provided as explanations for the trends. The number of females in the latter groups was limited due to the demographics of the population. Several recommendations are made for future research as well as recommendations to the Vancouver Police Department to address the findings with their sworn members. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to examine Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) stress and coping theory in the context of workplace stress and coping with a focus on the influence of personal and cultural resources on cognitive appraisal, coping strategies, and the well-being of Chinese who are currently employed in professional occupations overseas. The data were collected from a volunteer sample of 228 overseas Chinese professionals (128 men, 100 women, M age = 32.6). Participants completed three sets of questionnaires over a six-week period (2 weeks apart). Specific variables of interest included cultural, social, and personal resources (Chinese collective values, perceived social support and work support, and general self-efficacy), situational appraisals (perceived situational control and self-efficacy), ways of coping (Engagement, Disengagement, and Collective strategies), and changes in short-term outcomes (job satisfaction, somatic symptoms, and depression symptoms). Items that assessed collective ways of coping were developed for this study. Significant differences were found between men and women in this sample. As such, path analysis (LISREL VIII) was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the model separately for men and women. Based on a zero-order correlation matrix, the results for the initial hypothesized path models indicated a moderate fitting model for men and an inadequate fitting model for women. However, modified models revealed a good model fit for both men and women, X 2 (29, N=128)=32.72, p=.29, Q=1.13, RMSR=.05, GFI=.96, and CFI=. 98, and X 2 (29, N=100)=44.10, p=.04, Q=1.52, GFI=.93, RMSR-.07, and CFI=.92, respectively. The pattern of relationships (path coefficients) provide partial supports for the hypothesized model and Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theoretical assumptions. The results of this study were consistent with those obtained by other researchers who found that coping resources are associated with coping strategies and short-term outcomes (e.g., Long, Kahn, & Schutz, 1992; Terry, Tonge, & Callan, 1995). For the men, personal resources of General Self-efficacy were positively related to control appraisal, Work Support predicted Collective coping, and Social Support was associated with a decrease in depressive symptoms. As expected, Disengagement coping was found to have a significant effect on depressive symptoms for the men. For the women, General Self-efficacy and Social Support were associated with perceived self-efficacy, and predicted an increase in job satisfaction and a decrease in depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy appraisal had negative effects on Disengagement coping. As hypothesized, Engagement coping was negatively associated with changes in somatic symptoms, and Disengagement coping predicted changes in both somatic and depressive symptoms. The results Of factor analysis supported the development of a Collective coping subscale. Implications of these results and suggestions for future research are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

The intensity and emotional demands of the health care environment place exceptionally high performance expectations and stress on hospital social workers. Critical Incident Stress (CIS), a specific type of stress associated with dramatic, emotionally overwhelming situations, known as Critical Incidents (CIs), produce several emotional and physical reactions that can threaten the well-being of the hospital social worker. CIS, as experienced by hospital social workers, is absent from the literature and not well understood. The purpose of this study was to describe how hospital social workers appraised, reacted to, and coped with CIs in their work environment. Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theoretical framework of stress appraisal and coping was used to guide this descriptive study. A sample of 30 hospital social workers was recruited from two Vancouver tertiary care hospitals. Four instruments (Participant Information Sheet, Critical Incident Information Form, Emotional Appraisal Scale, and Ways of Coping Scale) were used to gain knowledge on how hospital social workers appraised, reacted to, and coped with CIs in their work environment. Quantitative data were coded, qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, and descriptive statistics calculated. Data revealed that hospital social workers encountered CIs in their work environment and that the majority of CIs centred on death-related events. The primary traits of events appraised as CIs were novelty, suddenness, and uncertainty. Respondents reacted to the CI with a variety of emotional (anxiety, fear, frustration, worry, anger) and physical reactions (feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, withdrawn, anxious, difficulty with sleeping), and although they experienced some discomfort, these reactions were not debilitating. Most hospital social workers indicated that their personal beliefs had been challenged by the CI and revealed that they were unsure as to what their social work role or function should have been during the event. However, despite this, respondents remained confident and comfortable with the decisions they made. Hospital social workers appeared to cope well with CIs, used a variety of emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies, and reported few negative effects on their professional and/or personal lives. The top four coping strategies utilized by respondents were seeking social support, planful problemsolving, positive reappraisal, and self-control. The implications of the findings for hospital social work administration, social work training and education, hospital social work practice, and future research are discussed.

The intensity and emotional demands of the health care environment place exceptionally high performance expectations and stress on hospital social workers. Critical Incident Stress (CIS), a specific type of stress associated with dramatic, emotionally overwhelming situations, known as Critical Incidents (CIs), produce several emotional and physical reactions that can threaten the well-being of the hospital social worker. CIS, as experienced by hospital social workers, is absent from the literature and not well understood. The purpose of this study was to describe how hospital social workers appraised, reacted to, and coped with CIs in their work environment. Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) theoretical framework of stress appraisal and coping was used to guide this descriptive study. A sample of 30 hospital social workers was recruited from two Vancouver tertiary care hospitals. Four instruments (Participant Information Sheet, Critical Incident Information Form, Emotional Appraisal Scale, and Ways of Coping Scale) were used to gain knowledge on how hospital social workers appraised, reacted to, and coped with CIs in their work environment. Quantitative data were coded, qualitative data were subjected to content analysis, and descriptive statistics calculated. Data revealed that hospital social workers encountered CIs in their work environment and that the majority of CIs centred on death-related events. The primary traits of events appraised as CIs were novelty, suddenness, and uncertainty. Respondents reacted to the CI with a variety of emotional (anxiety, fear, frustration, worry, anger) and physical reactions (feeling overwhelmed, fatigued, withdrawn, anxious, difficulty with sleeping), and although they experienced some discomfort, these reactions were not debilitating. Most hospital social workers indicated that their personal beliefs had been challenged by the CI and revealed that they were unsure as to what their social work role or function should have been during the event. However, despite this, respondents remained confident and comfortable with the decisions they made. Hospital social workers appeared to cope well with CIs, used a variety of emotion- and problem-focused coping strategies, and reported few negative effects on their professional and/or personal lives. The top four coping strategies utilized by respondents were seeking social support, planful problemsolving, positive reappraisal, and self-control. The implications of the findings for hospital social work administration, social work training and education, hospital social work practice, and future research are discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education