No / No / There are an increasing number of studies that have monitored the impact of Stress Management Interventions (SMls) and the results of these studies can play a vital role in informing the development of more effective, evidenced-based SMIs. In this paper, the authors have undertaken a review of United Kingdom (UK)-based research that has tested the impact of SMIs. Sixteen studies were examined and the results revealed that the vast majority of interventions were targeted at the individual employee, although there was a tendency for more recent research to focus on organisational level interventions. While all intervention levels were found to have some human and/or organisational benefits, strategies aimed at the individual level were less likely to result in longer-term benefits. An examination of the research methods used in the 16 studies indicated that UK-based researchers are beginning to adopt more rigorous research methods. However, there was a tendency for researchers to evaluate interventions over a relatively short time-frame. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.

Occupational stress among university and college faculty has significantly increased over the past decade. Employee wellness programs aim to reduce work-related stress through a class of evidence-based activities known as Stress Management Interventions (SMIs). During the COVID-19 pandemic, new challenges in the daily work of academics have simultaneously exacerbated stressful working conditions and exposed shortcomings in traditional face-to-face stress management interventions. Due to time constraints, cost, low scalability, and a high access threshold, the implementation of SMIs on campuses falls short of a national goal set by the United States Department of Health (2010). In addition, existing SMIs are underutilized (Heber et al., 2017). There is a substantial need for more broad-based attention to the health and wellness of university/college faculty, and with the accelerated adoption of work-from-home policies there are calls for the development of internet-based SMIs. This doctoral project investigates evidence and best practice in managing occupational stress among academicians, identifies tools within occupational therapy practice to accommodate remote work, and outlines a development plan to create a cost-effective, internet-based SMI designed for improved administrative implementation and faculty utilization. The program is based on the Person-Environment-Occupation model from occupational therapy literature, which focuses on an individual’s performance as shaped by the congruence of their personal domain (e.g., mental and physical health, self-concept, perceived role, cognition), occupational domain (e.g., their work), and their environment (e.g., physical, institutional, social environments) (Law et al., 1996).

Disertacijos tikslas yra identifikuoti ir ištirti streso darbe valdymo priemones bei jų veiksmingumą ir sukurti kompleksinį streso darbe valdymo modelį. Remiantis moksline literatūra disertacijoje pateikiama streso sampratos genezė, išanalizuoti streso darbe valdymo modeliai, identifikuoti esminiai stresą darbe sukeliantys veiksniai, išnagrinėtos organizacines streso darbe valdymo priemonės ir atskleistas jų veiksmingumas mažinant stresą darbe. Disertacijoje identifikuotos streso darbe valdymo priemonės, kurios iki šiol nebuvo nei teoriškai, nei empiriškai tyrinėtos. Remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize sukurtas kompleksinis streso darbe valdymo modelis, kuris empiriškai įvertintas Lietuvos energetikos įmonėse. Empiriniam tyrimui atlikti buvo pasirinktas kiekybinis tyrimo metodas – darbuotojų apklausa. Tyrimo metu nustatyta streso darbe priklausomybė nuo socialinių demografinių charakteristikų bei identifikuoti esminiai energetikos sektoriui stresoriai: atsakomybė už kitus žmones, darbo krūvis, vaidmens konfliktas, darbo sąlygos. Empirinis tyrimas patvirtino, kad streso darbe valdymo priemonės yra veiksmingos taikant jas kompleksiškai. Bendrą streso darbe lygį mažina bei atskirus stresorius įtakoja socialinė parama, karjeros valdymas, darbo ir asmeninio gyvenimo pusiausvyros užtikrinimo priemonės, darbuotojo žinių ir įgūdžių atitikimas darbo vietos reikalavimams, užduoties identiškumas. Remiantis tyrimo rezultatais parengtos rekomendacijos organizacijoms stresui darbe... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The aim of the dissertation is to identify organizational stress management interventions, analyze their effectiveness and create a systemic work related stress management model. Based on scientific literature there is revealed the genesis of the concept of stress, analyzed stress models, identified main work related stressors, analyzed stress management interventions and disclosed their effectiveness by reducing work related stress. There is revealed organizational stress management interventions which have been studied neither theoretically nor empirically were identified. The systemic work related stress management model is reasoned on the grounds of the theoretical analysis. The model was tested empirically in Lithuanian energy sector. The empirical study employs the survey method for data collection. The empirical study disclosed impact of social demographical characteristics on work related stress, and identified main stressors in Lithuanian energy sector: responsibility for other people, workload, role conflict, working conditions. The empirical study has fundamentally proved that organizational stress management interventions are efficient when they are applied systemically. The overall level of work related stress is reduced and individual stressors are influenced by social support, career management, interventions ensuring work – life balance, person's knowledge and skills fit to workplace requirements and task identity. On the grounds of the study conducted... [to full text]

This study examined the effects of two 8-week stress-management interventions (aerobic exercise and progressive relaxation) on reductions in trait anxiety, increases in self-efficacy, and enhancement of coping strategies for sedentary working women. It was expected that aerobic exercise, a relatively new treatment, would be as effective or more effective than progressive relaxation, a well researched treatment, as a stress-management intervention. The subjects were 72 females aged 24-59, (M = 39.8) solicited from the Vancouver community via newspaper advertisement asking for stressed volunteers to participate in two stress-management programs. They were interviewed and randomly assigned to an aerobic exercise or progressive relaxation treatment. The treatment sessions were conducted over an 8-week period with subjects meeting in groups for 1 1/2 hours per week. Prior to the first session subjects were administered: STAI-T (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Lushene, 1970), the General Self-Efficacy Scale (Sherer et al., 1982), Ways of Coping Checklist (Lazarus 6 Folkman, 1984), and a 7-Day Exercise Recall Inventory (Blair, 1984). Subjects were assessed again at post treatment and at 8-week follow-up. Repeated measures, multivariate analysis of variance with preplanned contrasts, indicated that both treatment groups were effective in decreasing trait anxiety and increasing self-efficacy from pre- to post-treatment. These changes were maintained at 8-week follow-up. In addition, a one-way multivariate analysis of variance with repeated measures indicated that the total number of coping strategies, as well as the difference between the number of problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, did not change significantly from pre- to post-treatment. Additionally, there was a negative relationship between low scores in self-efficacy and high scores in emotion-focused coping. In response to ancillary post-treatment and follow-up questionnaires, aerobic exercise was perceived by the participants as a more satisfactory stress-management treatment. Implications of these results and suggestions for future studies are discussed. / Education, Faculty of / Curriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department of / Graduate

This research focuses on the concept of occupational stress. Theories and models are discussed in an attempt to highlight the nature of stress and its implications for the individual if it is not effectively managed. Individual differences in the way they experience strain and cope with stress are considered, as well as the organisational implications of stress. Current thinking in the management of stress programmes is highlighted. The empirical study was conducted to determine whether there are differences between various organisational subgroups with regard to variables relating to occupational stress, strain and coping, as measured by the Occupational Stress Inventory - Revised (Osipow, 1998). The findings of the study show that there are significant differences between seniority, age, race and gender subgroups within the accounting organisation in which the research took place, with regard to stress, strain and coping / Industrial Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)

This research focuses on the concept of occupational stress. Theories and models are discussed in an attempt to highlight the nature of stress and its implications for the individual if it is not effectively managed. Individual differences in the way they experience strain and cope with stress are considered, as well as the organisational implications of stress. Current thinking in the management of stress programmes is highlighted. The empirical study was conducted to determine whether there are differences between various organisational subgroups with regard to variables relating to occupational stress, strain and coping, as measured by the Occupational Stress Inventory - Revised (Osipow, 1998). The findings of the study show that there are significant differences between seniority, age, race and gender subgroups within the accounting organisation in which the research took place, with regard to stress, strain and coping / Industrial Psychology / M.A. (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)