This study tested the existence of significant differences in levels of perceived job stressors between non-managerial individuals in boundary-spanning and nonboundary- spanning occupations. Correlations between selected demographic characteristics and levels of perceived job stressors were also determined.

Estuarine systems are of crucial importance to the provision of goods and services on a global scale. High human population densities in coastal systems have caused an increasing input of pollutants, of which nutrient pollution is of major concern. Increasingly, these areas are also impacted by physical disturbance, which can originate from anthropogenic sources (e.g. bait digging, shipping) or climate change causing increasingly frequent and intense storms. The individual impacts of such stressors on ecosystems have been investigated however their combined impacts have received less attention. Cumulative impacts of multiple stressors are unpredictable and will likely result in non-additive effects. Further, the effect of local environmental context on multiple stressors is a relatively understudied topic. Work in this thesis compared the combined impact of nutrient enrichment and physical disturbance in Scotland and Australia, using a series of manipulative field experiments. Results demonstrate that response to stressors is highly context dependent, varying between and within geographic locations. While the background levels of stress may vary, by comparing these two locations it is possible to comment on the adaptations and response that communities within different parts of the world display when subjected to additional stress. This study demonstrates that environmental context must be considered when implementing future management practices. Further work demonstrated that the impact of multiple stressors varies depending on how the stress is applied –whether stressors are applied simultaneously or whether there is a delay between two stressors. This study was among the first of its kind, assessing the implications of how multiple stressors react with each other given the order and intensity in which stressors were applied. Results demonstrated that systems can become sensitised to stress making them increasingly vulnerable to additional stress. Future research should be focussed on incorporating ecologically relevant scenarios of how stressors will impact estuaries while considering how environmental context will mediate impacts.

Background: Physiotherapist is one health care profession with an increased exposedness for work-related burnout. Purpose: To investigate the experience of work-related stress in physiotherapists within primary health care in Sweden as well as coping strategies to manage stress at work.   Design and method: Qualitative design based on semi-structured interviews. Five physiotherapists from different workplaces in two different regions in Sweden attended in the study. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze and process collected data. Results: The physiotherapists experienced high workload, increased stress levels, working overtime, staff shortages as well as expectations and demands as stressors in the workplace. Poor quality at work and in meetings with patients were mentioned as consequences of work-related stress. Facilitating factors and coping strategies to abate stress were used in terms of good self-efficacy in the profession, having collegial support, physical activity as well as being content with the current life-situation outside of work. Conclusion: Social support in the workplace is an important factor to abate stress among physiotherapists in primary health care in Sweden. The result illustrates the importance of being observant on contributive factors for work-related stress. Coping strategies to counteract stress were also mentioned in the study. / Bakgrund: Fysioterapeuter är en av flera vårdprofessioner som har en ökad utsatthet för arbetsrelaterad utbrändhet. Syfte: Att undersöka upplevelse av stress i arbetslivet hos fysioterapeuter inom primärvård samt hur de hanterar den stress som kan uppstå. Metod: Kvalitativ design i form av semistrukturerade intervjuer användes. Fem fysioterapeuter, från olika arbetsplatser inom primärvården samt från två olika regioner i Sverige, intervjuades utifrån författarnas intervjuguide. Intervjuerna bearbetades och analyserades genom kvalitativ innehållsanalys.   Resultat: Fysioterapeuterna upplevde bidragande faktorer i form av bland annat ökad stressnivå, hög arbetsbelastning, övertidsarbete, låg bemanning samt krav inom arbetet. Underlättande faktorer som framkom var trygghet i arbetsrollen, kollegialt stöd på arbetsplatsen samt en god livssituation utanför arbetet. Nedsatt kvalité i arbetet och patientbemötandet var konsekvenser som uppkom till följd av arbetsrelaterad stress. Stresshanteringsstrategier såsom tydlighet i mötet med patienten och ta hjälp av kollegor nämndes. Utanför arbetstid användes även fysisk aktivitet samt att ”varva ned” som strategier. Konklusion: Stöd från kollegor och ledning är viktigt hos fysioterapeuter i primärvård för att minska risken för upplevd arbetsrelaterad stress. Studien uppmärksammar vikten av att vara observant på faktorer som tyder på upplevd arbetsrelaterad stress samt att använda individuella stresshanteringsstrategier hos fysioterapeuter inom primärvård.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych

Real world exposures to physiologically and/or psychologically stressful environments are often multifactorial. For example, high-altitude typically combines exposure to hypobaric hypoxia, solar radiation and cold ambient temperatures, while sea level thermal stress is often combined with supplementary or transient stressors such as rain, solar radiation and wind. In such complex environments, the effect of one stressor on performance may be subject to change, simply due to the presence of another independent stressor. Such differential influences can occur in three basic forms; additive, antagonistic and synergistic, each term defining a fundamental concept of inter-parameter interactions. As well as the natural occurrence of stressors in combination, understanding interactions is fundamental to experimentally modelling how multiple physiological strains integrate in their influence on or regulation of - exercise intensity. In this thesis the current literature on neuromuscular fatigue and the influence of thermal and hypoxic stress is reviewed (Chapter 1). This is followed by an outline of the methodological developments used in the subsequent experiments (Chapter 2). In the first experimental study (Chapter 3) a novel approach was adopted to investigate the combined effect of muscle cooling and hypoxia on neuromuscular fatigue in humans. The results showed that the neuromuscular system s maximal force generating capacity declined by 8.1 and 13.9% during independent cold and hypoxic stress compared to control. Force generation decreased by 21.4% during combined hypoxic-cold compared to control, closely matching the additive value of hypoxia and cold individually (22%). This was also reflected in the measurement of mechanical fatigue (electromechanical ratio), demonstrating an additive response during combined hypoxic-cold. From this study, it was concluded that when moderate hypoxia and cold environmental temperatures are combined during low intensity exercise, the level of fatigue increases additively with no interaction between these stressors. Before conducting a more complex investigation on combined stressors, a better understanding of the role of muscle temperature on central fatigue - i.e. voluntary muscle activation via the afferent signalling pathways was sought. The focus of Chapter 4 was to quantify the relationship between muscle temperature and voluntary muscle activation (central fatigue) across a wide range of temperatures. The primary finding was that different muscle temperatures can induce significant changes in voluntary activation (0.5% reduction per-degree-centigrade increase in muscle temperature) when neural drive is sustained for a prolonged effort (e.g. 120-s); however this effect is not exhibited during efforts that are brief in duration (e.g. 3-s). To further explore this finding, Chapter 5 investigated the effect of metaboreceptive feedback at two different muscle temperatures, using post-exercise muscle ischemia, on voluntary activation of a remote muscle group. The results showed that at the same perceived mental effort, peripheral limb discomfort was significantly higher with increasing muscle temperature (2% increase per-degree-centigrade increase). However any influence of increased muscle temperature on leg muscle metaboreceptive feedback did not appear to inhibit voluntary muscle activation - i.e. central control - of a remote muscle group, as represented by an equal force output and voluntary activation in the thermoneutral, contralateral leg. In Chapter 6, the psycho-sensory effects of changes in muscle temperature on central fatigue during dynamic exercise were investigated. During sustained dynamic exercise, fatigue development appeared to occur at a faster rate in hot muscle (4% increase per-degree-centigrade increase) leading to a nullification of the beneficial effects of increased muscle temperature on peak power output after a period of ~60-s maximal exercise. In support of previous studies using isometric exercise (Chapter 4 and 6), participants reported significantly higher muscular pain and discomfort in hot muscle compared to cooler muscle during dynamic exercise (2 and 1% increase per-degree-centigrade increase respectively), however this did not result in a lower power output. From Chapters 4, 5 and 6 it was concluded that in addition to faster rates of metabolite accumulation due to cardiovascular strain, it is possible that a direct sensitisation of the metaboreceptive group III and IV muscle afferents occurs in warmer muscle. This likely contributes to the reduction in voluntary muscle activation during exercise in the heat, while it may attenuate central fatigue in the cold. It was also interpreted that muscle afferents may have a similar signalling role to cutaneous sensory afferents; the latter of which are recognised for their role in providing thermal feedback to the cognitive-behavioural centres of the brain and aiding exercise regulation under thermal stress. The impact of body core and active muscle temperature on voluntary muscle activation represented a similar ratio (5 to 1 respectively) to the temperature manipulated (single leg) to non-temperature manipulated mass (rest of body) in Chapters 4, 5 and 6. This indicates that voluntary muscle activation may also be regulated based on a central meta-representation of total body heat content i.e. the summed firing rates of all activated thermoreceptors in the brain, skin, muscle, viscera and spine. Building on the initial findings of Chapter 3, Chapter 7 investigated the causative factors behind the expression of different interaction types during exposure to multi-stressor environments. This was achieved by studying the interaction between thermal stress and hypoxia on the rate of peripheral and central fatigue development during a high intensity bout of knee extension exercise to exhaustion. The results showed that during combined exposure to moderate hypoxia and mild cold, the reductions in time to exhaustion were additive of the relative effects of hypoxia and cold independently. This differs from the findings in Chapter 3, in which fatigue was additive of the absolute effects of cold and hypoxia. In contrast, combining moderate hypoxia with severe heat stress resulted in a significant antagonistic interaction on both the absolute and relative reductions in time to exhaustion i.e. the combined effect being significantly less than the sum of the individual effects. Based on the results in Chapter 7, a quantitative paradigm for understanding of systematic integration of multifactorial stressors was proposed. This is, that the interaction type between stressors is influenced by the impact magnitude of the individual stressors effect on exercise capacity, whereby the greater the stressors impact, the greater the probability that one stressor will be cancelled out by the other. This is the first study to experimentally model the overarching principles characterising the presence of simultaneous physiological strains, suggesting multifactorial integration be subject to the worst strain takes precedence when the individual strains are severe.

No description available.

This study examined, via a meta-analysis, the relations among stressors, social support, and stress reactions. Unexpectedly, small to medium negative, but robust effect sizes were found for the stressors-social support relation. As expected the stressor-stress reaction relation was positive, and the social support-stress reaction relation was negative. Both relations had small to medium effect sizes that ranged from weak to very robust. The direct effect of social support on the stressor-stress reaction was generally supported, whereas the suppressor and mediating models were not supported. Furthermore, the findings were inconclusive for the moderator effect of social support. Non-interpersonal traumas appear different in the stressor-social support and social support-stress reaction relations compared to other trauma types. These findings have important clinical implications.

Orientadores: Monica Sanches Yassuda, Anita Liberalesso Neri / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T11:55:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Fontes_ArletePortella_M.pdf: 649927 bytes, checksum: c95b7afdf1d6e1987d5ba28c0d6c9bf0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O envelhecimento e o desgaste provocado pelo trabalho demandam a compreensão das relações entre idade, experiência e o enfrentamento dos estressores ocupacionais. Objetivo: investigou-se através de um estudo descritivo o enfrentamento de estressores ocupacionais e sua relação com estresse percebido, idade, cargo e experiência, mediadas por crenças de auto-eficácia e agência, entre 71 líderes, técnicos e engenheiros de empresa elétrica, comparados quanto à idade (27-50 anos) e tempo de serviço (>=5 anos; 2 - 4 anos; <2 anos). Método: Os participantes foram submetidos a questionário sociodemográfico e ocupacional, escala de intensidade do estresse percebido, enfrentamento do estresse ocupacional, auto-eficácia e agência, aplicados nos locais de trabalho por pessoal treinado. Resultados: Foi encontrada alta consistência interna para as escalas de enfrentamento (0,849), crenças de agência (0,754) e agência pessoal (0,744). O grau de estresse percebido foi sete (escala de 0 a 10), identificando-se estressores inerentes à organização, tarefas e gestão de pessoas. A auto-eficácia do enfrentamento foi moderada (engenheiros: M=3,34, ± 0,28; técnicos: M=3,13, ± 0,41). Agência interpessoal correlacionou-se significativamente com idade: os mais jovens acreditam mais no exercício de controle através de recursos do outro, em relação aos mais velhos. Foram observadas correlações positivas entre tempo de serviço e auto-eficácia; manejo com controle e esquiva; auto-eficácia e controle; agência pessoal com controle e auto-eficácia; agência interpessoal com controle, manejo, auto-eficácia e agência pessoal. Na análise de regressão linear, quanto maior uso de controle, maior auto-eficácia, agência pessoal e interpessoal; quanto maior uso de manejo de sintomas, maior agência interpessoal. Conclusões: Os resultados apontam para o valor da experiência e das crenças de eficácia e agência para um envelhecimento competente no trabalho. Os indivíduos que envelhecem no trabalho e as organizações beneficiam-se da melhor compreensão das relações entre idade, experiência, enfrentamento de estressores e crenças pessoais / Abstract: The aging and work stress demand comprehension of relations among age, experience and coping with job stressor. Objective: it was investigated through a descriptive study the coping with job stressor and its relation with perceived stress, age, job position and experience, mediated by beliefs of self-efficacy and agency, among 71 leaders, technicians and engineers of an electricity utility company, compared to age (27-50) and time of work (>=5 years; 2-4 years; <2 years). Method: the participants were submitted to a sociodemographic and job questionaire, scales of perceived stress intensity, coping with job stress, self-efficacy and agency, applied in the work by trained people. Results: it was found high internal consistency for coping scales (0.849), beliefs of agency (0.754) and personal agency (0.744). The degree of perceived stress was 7 (scale 0-10), identifying stressors inherent in organization, tasks and people management. The coping self-efficacy was moderate (engineers: M=3.34, ± 0.28; technicians: M=3.13, ± 0.41). Interpersonal agency was correlated significantly with age: the youngest ones believe more in the exercise of control through the resources of the others, in relation to the oldest. Positive correlations were observed among time of work and self-efficacy; management with control and escape; self-efficacy and control; personal agency with control and self-efficacy; interpersonal agency with control, management, self-efficacy and personal agency. In the analysis of linear regression, the more the use of control, the higher self-efficacy, personal and interpersonal agency; the more the use of symptom management, the higher the interpersonal agency. Conclusions: The results pointed to the value of the experience and of the beliefs of efficacy and agency for a competent aging in the work. The individuals aging in the work and organizations take the benefit of the best comprehension of relations among age, experience, stressor coping and personal beliefs / Mestrado / Gerontologia / Mestre em Gerontologia

A qualitative study was performed using the focus group methodology with first year university students in Greater Lima, to learn about their drinking habits and explore the main determinants of their alcohol consumption. Four homogeneous focus groups (by gender and social class) were organized, with group sizes between 5 and 9. Content analysis of the discussions revealed that the stressors experienced by these students are similar to those of other western adolescents, yet that economic difficulties and weight concerns (among females) provide additional stress. Expectancies towards alcohol were predominantly positive and partly reflected those of American adolescents (social enhancement, tension reduction and improved cognitive/motor abilities), although additional expectancies were mentioned (pleasure, diversion, loss of inhibitions, selfconfidence and group acceptance) and others were considered less important (sexual enhancement, increased arousal, and cognitive/motor impairment). Self-efficacy to refuse alcohol was not perceived as an important determinant of alcohol use. / Se presenta un estudio cualitativo –focus group- para conocer los hábitos de consumo del alcohol y los principales determinantes de su uso entre estudiantes universitarios de la ciudad de Lima. Se organizaron cuatro grupos homogéneos (por género y nivel socio económico) con 5 a 9 participantes. El análisis de contenido reveló que los estresores experimentados son similares a los reportados por los adolescentes occidentales, sin embargo, reportaron estrés adicional por las dificultades económicas y el control de peso (entre las mujeres).Las expectativas sobre el alcohol fueron positivas y reflejaron lo mismo que en los adolescentes norteamericanos (mejora social, reducción de la tensión y mejora de habilidades motoras/cognitivas), aunque también se mencionaron expectativas adicionales (placer, diversión, pérdida de inhibiciones, auto confianza y aceptación del grupo). Otras fueron consideradas menos importantes (mejora sexual, incremento de la activación y deterioro cognitivo/motor). La autoeficacia para rechazar el alcohol no fue percibida como un determinanteimportante entre los participantes.

Children who live within the U.S. military community have unique experiences. In addition to the foundational processes related to child development, military-dependent youths are subject to military specific stressors (MSS) such as frequent relocation, adjustment to new school environments, and parental separation due to deployment. Some research suggests these experiences build resiliency, whereas others suggest they undermine it. Due to these mixed findings there is a gap in the research. This study examines the extent to which military stressors are associated with attachment insecurity, and whether these links are dependent on the military dependent youth’s perception of their mother’s degree of nurturing behavior during times of stress. We expect that the positive association between MSS and attachment insecurity will be weakened when individuals report higher maternal nurturance. As data collection is not yet complete, preliminary results will be shared at the conference. Estimated date of completion is March 1, 2019.