TY - JOUR
T1 - Stress and mental strain in hospital work: Exploring the relationship beyond personality
AU - Arsenault, André
AU - Dolan, Simon Landau
AU - Van Ameringen, Marie Reine
PY - 1991/5/1
Y1 - 1991/5/1
N2 - This study focuses on the relationship between job stressors and mental strain in hospital work, adjusting for differences in personality traits.
Questionnaires were obtained from 760 full-time employees. Fourteen scales of job stressors were clustered into four factors: professional latitude,
clinical demands, workload problems and role difficulties. A mental strain index was derived from the addition of three sub-scales: depression,
anxiety and irritation. Two personality traits were measured: Locus of Control (Rotter) and Striver-Achiever (Sales). The four job demand factors
were dichotomized into high-low grouping variables. A 24 factorial analysis of covariance was conducted, using the two personality traits as
covariates, in order to test and adjust for trait-related strain.
Results show that Locus of Control adjusted differences in mental strain appear significantly related to work stressors. A direct relationship was
found with role difficulties, professional latitude and workload problems. Moreover, high levels of role difficulties and low levels of professional latitude
interact significantly with adjusted levels of mental strain. The Striver-Achiever trait, however, appears most strongly correlated with workload
problems but not with mental strain. We believe that this exploratory analysis suggests that the stressor-strain relationship might be best conceived
as a combination of direct and complex pathways, relating facets of both job demands and of personality with outcomes, under a cognitive and
conditional paradigm.
AB - This study focuses on the relationship between job stressors and mental strain in hospital work, adjusting for differences in personality traits.
Questionnaires were obtained from 760 full-time employees. Fourteen scales of job stressors were clustered into four factors: professional latitude,
clinical demands, workload problems and role difficulties. A mental strain index was derived from the addition of three sub-scales: depression,
anxiety and irritation. Two personality traits were measured: Locus of Control (Rotter) and Striver-Achiever (Sales). The four job demand factors
were dichotomized into high-low grouping variables. A 24 factorial analysis of covariance was conducted, using the two personality traits as
covariates, in order to test and adjust for trait-related strain.
Results show that Locus of Control adjusted differences in mental strain appear significantly related to work stressors. A direct relationship was
found with role difficulties, professional latitude and workload problems. Moreover, high levels of role difficulties and low levels of professional latitude
interact significantly with adjusted levels of mental strain. The Striver-Achiever trait, however, appears most strongly correlated with workload
problems but not with mental strain. We believe that this exploratory analysis suggests that the stressor-strain relationship might be best conceived
as a combination of direct and complex pathways, relating facets of both job demands and of personality with outcomes, under a cognitive and
conditional paradigm.
M3 - Article
SN - 0894-3796
VL - 12
SP - 483
EP - 493
JO - Journal of Organizational Behavior
JF - Journal of Organizational Behavior
ER -