There is considerable debate about the optimal methods to be taken in measuring work related stressor-strain links. This study has explored these issues by testing a two-factor approach of assessing occupationally and organisationally linked stressors. The discriminant validity of the Job Stress Survey (JSS; Spielberger & Vagg, 1999) was tested in this study. 1,050 employees from seven National Health Service (NHS) Trusts were examined to evaluate the degree to which JSS subscales of Job Pressure and Lack of Organizational Support differentiated between staff experiences of occupational and organisational stressors respectively. Support for the discriminant validity of the JSS was obtained with inter-occupational differences in Job Pressure when comparing between the seven NHS staff groups surveyed. By contrast, staff subjected to major organisational change were more likely to report high levels of Lack of Organizational Support than those not facing such change. The satisfactory discriminant validity of the JSS has general implications for stress prevention and management. Workers in occupations prone to high occupational stress could benefit from targeted stress management interventions, whereas endemic organisational stress could be more effectively tackled with an organisation-wide focus. MIS workers' degree of Neuroticism appeared to bias links between stressors and strains. Also, when compared with low-ranking and high-ranking staff, middle-ranking workers had the highest levels of stressor experiences and the lowest job satisfaction. As a result, future research and interventions should consider the role of Neuroticism and occupational seniority, as these variables significantly influenced NHS employees' stress experiences. It is also recommended that research into workplace stress should involve the statistical control of Neuroticism. By neglecting the crucial role of Neuroticism, researchers may be ignoring the full extent to which this personality trait may distort the true link between a stressor and subsequent strain.

No description available.

A large body of evidence supports the notion that chronic stress and strain may impact healing from physical trauma. However, no evidence exists to substantiate whether chronic stress impacts recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage. In this study, a group of 31 undergraduate weight-training students completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Undergraduate Stress Survey (USQ, a measure of life event stress) a series of fitness tests and then returned 5 to 10 days later for an exhaustive resistance exercise stimulus (E-RES) workout. This workout was performed on a leg press to the cadence of a metronome to ensure a strong eccentric component of exercise. Participants were monitored for 1 hour after this workout and every day for 4 days afterwards. Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) multi-level growth curve analyses demonstrated that stress measures were related to recovery from maximal resistance exercise for both functional muscular (maximal isometric force, jump height, and cycling power) and psychological (perceived energy, perceived fatigue, and soreness) outcomes. Stress was not related to outcomes immediately post-workout (except maximal cycling power) after controlling for pre-workout values. Thus, the effect of stress on recovery is not likely due to magnitude of disruption from maximal exercise. After controlling for significant covariates, including fitness and percent disruption from baseline, individuals scoring a 10 on the PSS at their first visit reached baseline 288% (2.88 times) faster than individuals who scored a 19 at this same time point. There were significant moderating effects of stress on affective responses during exercise. Feeling (pleasure/displeasure), activation (arousal), muscular pain and RPE (exertion) trajectories were moderated by stress. Exploratory analyses found that stress moderated physical recovery, but not psychological recovery in the first hour after the E-RES workout. Also, stress was related to the increase in IL-1[beta], a pro-inflammatory cytokine, in the 48 hour period after exercise for a sub-set of participants. These findings likely have important theoretical and clinical implications for those undergoing vigorous physical activity. Those experiencing chronic loads of stress and mental strain should include more rest time to ensure proper recovery. / text

<p>The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate and test the Job Stress Survey (JSS, Spielberger, 1991; Spielberger & Vagg, 1999), a self-report instrument which assesses workplace stress. In the thesis a thorough evaluation is made of JSS scales and items, and the relations to health, particularly musculoskeletal complaints. The aim of Study I was to evaluate the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the JSS. The instrument was distributed to medical service personal and metal industry workers (n=1186). Factor analyses demonstrated a good resemblance between the present version and the American original version. The results also showed that the internal consistencies, as well as the test-retest reliabilities of the scales are high, and the concurrent validity are good. Study II examined work-related stress measured by JSS for the subgroups of gender, industry workers and medical service personnel, and special attention was given to the problem of differential item functioning (DIF) on these subgroups. The main findings were that both gender and occupation has a substantial impact on specific sources of work-related stress assessed by JSS scales and individual items. The result of the DIF analyses showed no item bias in the gender subgroup, but for the occupational subgroups there where items showing DIF in two of the scales. These items do not jeopardize the conclusions made on scale level since the number of items showing DIF are too few to make an impact on the overall result on the different scales. In Study III the relation between self-reported stress and health, particularly musculoskeletal problems were examined longitudinally in two metal industry factories. Results showed high levels of stress and musculoskeletal complaints in these factories and significant and strong relationships between the JSS scales and musculoskeletal, as well as psychosocial ratings. Lack of Organizational Support was found to be more related to musculoskeletal pain than Job Pressure. Longitudinal differences were found between the factories and between different types of musculoskeletal complaints. The general conclusions from the studies are that the present version of JSS shows a good resemblance with the American original, and that JSS is a useful instrument for studying relationships between stress and health.</p>

The main purpose of this thesis was to evaluate and test the Job Stress Survey (JSS, Spielberger, 1991; Spielberger &amp; Vagg, 1999), a self-report instrument which assesses workplace stress. In the thesis a thorough evaluation is made of JSS scales and items, and the relations to health, particularly musculoskeletal complaints. The aim of Study I was to evaluate the factor structure and the psychometric properties of a Swedish version of the JSS. The instrument was distributed to medical service personal and metal industry workers (n=1186). Factor analyses demonstrated a good resemblance between the present version and the American original version. The results also showed that the internal consistencies, as well as the test-retest reliabilities of the scales are high, and the concurrent validity are good. Study II examined work-related stress measured by JSS for the subgroups of gender, industry workers and medical service personnel, and special attention was given to the problem of differential item functioning (DIF) on these subgroups. The main findings were that both gender and occupation has a substantial impact on specific sources of work-related stress assessed by JSS scales and individual items. The result of the DIF analyses showed no item bias in the gender subgroup, but for the occupational subgroups there where items showing DIF in two of the scales. These items do not jeopardize the conclusions made on scale level since the number of items showing DIF are too few to make an impact on the overall result on the different scales. In Study III the relation between self-reported stress and health, particularly musculoskeletal problems were examined longitudinally in two metal industry factories. Results showed high levels of stress and musculoskeletal complaints in these factories and significant and strong relationships between the JSS scales and musculoskeletal, as well as psychosocial ratings. Lack of Organizational Support was found to be more related to musculoskeletal pain than Job Pressure. Longitudinal differences were found between the factories and between different types of musculoskeletal complaints. The general conclusions from the studies are that the present version of JSS shows a good resemblance with the American original, and that JSS is a useful instrument for studying relationships between stress and health.

The impact of occupational stress on physiological and psychological well-being of employees is well documented, as well as the adverse effects of occupational stress on organisational functioning. Nursing occupational stressors are divided in nursing-specific demands, job demands and lack of organisational support. If unattended, occupational stress may progress to burnout. Burnout is a type of response to chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors on the job and it is conceptualised as emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. It has been an issue particularly prominent in the human service occupations. The nursing profession specifically meets these criteria. Individuals who work under these circumstances are at greater risk of developing burnout. 53 nurses completed a biographical questionnaire, the Nursing Stress Survey (NSS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Results indicate that trauma unit nursing staff experience moderate levels of occupational stress and average levels of burnout. Various stressors were identified that nursing staff experienced relatively severely. Emotional exhaustion is related to nursing-specific demands, job demands and lack of organisational support with large effect, indicating the importance of occupational stress in the development of burnout. It is important that management take cognizance of the relationships in order to have a pro-active approach to organisational stress management with the implementation of preventative interventions. / Dissertation (MCom (Human Resources Management))--University of Pretoria, 2004. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted