Week 4: Introduction to Stress & Occupational Health

Question 1

Stress is a psychological response to _____ that possess certain _____ for the person and that tax or exceed the persons ____ or ____. Stress leads to _____.

Answer 1

demands
stakes
capacity or resources
strains

Question 2

Stressors are the ____ or ____ that cause people to experience stress.

Answer 2

stimuli or demands

Question 3

Stressors can be categorised into two groups - what are they?

Answer 3

Challenge stressors

Hindrance stressors

Question 4

Name 4 examples of demands that can ultimately lead to stress.

Answer 4

responsibilities, pressures, uncertainties, obligations

Question 5

What is meant with a persons capacity or resources in the definition of stress?

Answer 5

any factor you have in you that you can use to resolve the demands, the more you have, the better you can deal with demands

e.g. preparation to performance review, social support, etc.

Question 6

What is one very common stressor?

Answer 6

work is one of the top sources of stress, 64% of employees feel extreme stress

Question 7

what are challenge stressors? explain and name an example.

Answer 7

stressful demands people see as opportunities for learning, growth and achievement

challenge stressors trigger positive emotion like pride or enthusiasm and lead to increased job performance and organisational commitment

one example would be job complexity

Question 8

what are hindrance stressors? explain and name an example.

Answer 8

stressful demands people see as hindering their progress towards personal accomplishment or goal attainment

hindrance stressors trigger negative emotions like anger or anxiety and lead to decreases job performance and organisational commitment

one example would be role ambiguity

Question 9

Strains are the negative ______ that occur when stressors ____ or ____ the resources or capacity of a person.

Strains come in various forms and can be divided into three broader categories:

1. ______ - such as migraine, illness, back pains, etc.
2. ______ - such as depression, anxiety, burnout, etc.
3. ______ - such as alcohol and drug use, overeating, or other compulsive behaviours

Answer 9

consequences, tax or exceeds

1. physiological
2. psychological
3. behavioural

Question 10

The overarching model of stress describes the relationship between ___ potential _____ of stress, ____ stress and ___ potential ____ of stress.

Answer 10

three sources
experienced stress
three consequences

Question 11

In the overarching model of stress, what are the three potential sources of stress?

____ - for example economic or political uncertainty or technological change

____ - for example task, role or interpersonal demands

____ - for example family, money or personality issues

Answer 11

environmental factors
organisational factors
personal factors

Question 12

Lisa has too much on her plate at work. Her stress stems from _____ sources.

David fears he will lose his job due to the upcoming recession. His stress stems from ____ sources.

Mark just divorced his wife. His stress stems from ____ sources.

Answer 12

organisational
environmental
personal

Question 13

Why are personal sources of stress considered in the overarching model of stress at the workplace?

Answer 13

both family and economic issues are usually carried into work - people can’t just switch it off

Question 14

In the overarching model of stress, what is the block of moderators influencing the relationship between sources of stress and experienced stress?

Answer 14

individual differences

Question 15

What are the 5 individual differences (moderators)2 that determine the intensity of experienced stress in the overarching model of workplace stress?

1. ____ - of the situation, whether you see it as a threat or opportunity
2. ____ - selective withdrawal/advanced coping mechanisms
3. ____ - collegial relationships with co-workers and supervisors
4. _____
5. _____

Those high in _____ experience less stress, while those with an ____ experience more stress.

Those with high ____ see more stressors and tend to get stressed more easily

Answer 15

1. perception
2. job experience
3. social support
4. belief in locus of control
5. self-efficacy

internal locus of control, external locus of control

neuroticism

Question 16

What are the three consequences of experienced stress within the overarching model of workplace stress?

Answer 16

1. physiological symptoms, like headaches, heart disease or blood pressure
2. psychological symptoms like anxiety, depression or decrease in job satisfaction
3. behavioural symptoms like decreased productivity, or increased absenteeism and turnover

Question 17

Burnout is a psychological response to chronic work stress, combining ____, ____ and ____.

Answer 17

emotional exhaustion
depersonalisation
reduced personal accomplishment

Question 18

Explain the terms:

1. emotional exhaustion
2. depersonalisation
3. reduced personal accomplishment

Answer 18

1. emotional resources being drained
2. also named cynicism, describes a detached and cynical response to the job and others associated with it
3. no longer feeling effective in fulfilling job responsibilities

Question 19

How can the Job Characteristics Model (JCM, week 3) be used to explain workplace stress?

Answer 19

if your job scores low on the five dimensions it induces stress in people

(skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, feedback)

Question 20

According to the transactional model of stress, Hindrance and Challenge stressors can also appear outside of work. Name three examples for each.

Answer 20

non-work hindrance stressors: work-family conflict, negative life events, financial uncertainty

non-work challenge stressors: family time demands, personal development, positive life events

Question 21

Coping with stressors usually happens by first ____ them.

There are two general coping strategies:
1. One is ___ and focussed on the ____. The individual ____ does something to cope.

2. The other is ____ and focussed on ___. The individual uses ____ to cope with the situation.

Answer 21

appraising

1. behavioural, problem, physically
2. cognitive, emotions, thoughts

Question 22

The transactional model of occupational stress, evaluates your ____ and ____ stressors and how you ____ with them.

It assumes one has to appraise stressors on three occasions;

1. _____ - the interpretation of stressors; what does this stress mean to me?
2. _____ - the analysis of the available resources; how can i deal with the stressors?
3. _____ - after experiencing the stress and coping with it, one has to pace themselves and learn for next time

Answer 22

work and non-work, cope

primary appraisal
secondary appraisal
reappraisal

Question 23

Name the 7 steps of the transactional model of stress.

Answer 23

1. environment stimuli –>
2. perception filter (selection) –>
3. primary appraisal –>
4. secondary appraisal –>
5. stress –>
6. coping (problem-/emotion-focussed) –>
7. reappraisal

Question 24

Researchers argue that coping methods can be cognitive or behavioural and either with an emotion- or problem-focus.
For each of the four resulting coping strategies name three examples.

1) behavioural + problem-focus
2) cognitive + problem-focus
3) behavioural + emotion-focus
4) cognitive + emotion- focus

Answer 24

1) working harder, seeking assistance, acquiring additional resources
- one physically does something to address the problem

2) strategising, self-motivating, changing priorities
- one mentally does something to address the problem

3) engaging in alternative activities, seeking support, venting anger
- one physically does something to address the emotions caused by the problem

4) avoiding/distancing/ignoring, looking for the positive in the negative, reappraising
- one mentally does something to address the emotions caused by the problem

Question 25

Employers have different ways of reducing employee stress. Name 6.

Answer 25

1. Appropriate selection and placement + role clarity
2. goal-setting
3. redesigning jobs
4. employee involvement
5. employee sabbaticals
6. corporate wellness programs

Question 26

Individuals also have different ways of coping with stress. Name 7 examples and highlight the most underestimated ones.

Answer 26

1. physical exercise
2. relaxation training
3. socialising
4. recovery and detachment
5. proactive behaviours
6. time management techniques (!)
7. mindfulness (!)

Question 27

How can proper selection, role clarity and placement reduce occupational stress?

Answer 27

individuals with little experience or an external locus of control tend to be more prone to stress (doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hire them, just place them right)

Question 28

How can goal-setting by the employer reduce occupational stress?

Answer 28

goals can reduce stress and increase motivation; specifically, those who are highly committed to their goals and see purpose in their jobs experience less stress

Question 29

How can job (re)design help lower occupational stress?

Answer 29

Redesign jobs to give employees more meaningful work, more autonomy and increased feedback can reduce buffer stress because they provide employees with a greater sense of control over work activities and lessen dependence on others.

Question 30

How can employee involvement lower occupational stress?

Answer 30

giving people a voice in management decisions can increase employee control and reduce role stress and therefore managers should consider increasing employee involvement in decision-making

that does not mean you have to do as they say, explain why you go against a suggestion to increase perception of fairness and involvement.

Question 31

How can employee sabbaticals lower occupational stress?

Answer 31

some employees need an occasional escape from the frenetic pace of their work; sabbaticals vary on range of length and allows employees to travel, relax or pursue personal projects. its good for creativity too.

Question 32

How can corporate wellness programs lower occupational stress?

Answer 32

typically provide workshops to help people quit smoking, control alcohol use, lose weight, eat better and develop regular exercise routines

focus on employees total physical and mental condition