Stress in public organizations can affect the health, well-being and productivity of the workforce This article examines three so-called "high stress" government jobs (nurses, police officers and air traffic controllers), identifies the sources, symptoms, and conse quences of stress, and compares stress levels in these occupations with those in other populations Public personnel managers can work with others to prevent, detect, and manage stress in their work settings The authors discuss and illustrate various individ ual and or ganizational strategies relevant to stress management in each of the three oc- cupations
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Adams, G.T., Jr. (1987). "Preventive Law Trends and Compensation Payments for Stress-Disabled Workers," pp. 235-245 in J C. Quick, R S. Bhagat, J E. Dalton , and J.D. Quick (eds.) Work Stress Health Care Systems in the WorkplaceNew York : Praeger.
2.
Alpert, G.P. and R. Dunham (1988). Policing Urban America. Prospect Heights, Ill.: Waveland.
3.
Bailey, J.T. (1980). "Stress Management: An Overview." Journal of Nursing Education19, 6 (June): 5-7.
4.
Baun, W.B., E.J. Bernacki, and J.A. Herd (1987). "Corporate Health and Fitness Programs and the Prevention of Work Stress," pp 217-234 in J.C. Quick, R.S. Bhagat, J. E. Dalton , and J.D. Quick (eds.) Work Stress Health Care Systems in the WorkplaceNew York : Praeger.
5.
Beehr, T.A. and J.E. Newman (1978). "Job Stress, Employee Health, and Organizational Effectiveness: A Facet Analysis, Model and Literature Review." Personnel Psychology31, 4 (Winter): 665-699.
6.
Blackmore, J. (1985). "Police Stress," in C. Terry III. (ed.) Policing Society. New York: John Wiley.
7.
Burke, R.J. (1987). "Issues and Implications for Health Care Delivery Systems: A Canadian Perspective," pp. 27-49 in J.C. Quick, R.S. Bhagat, J.E. Dalton, and J.D. Quick (eds.) Woik Stress Health Care Systems in the WorkplaceNew York: Praeger.
8.
Business Week (1988). "Stress The Test Americans are Failing." (April 18): 74-76.
9.
Caro, D.H.J. and A.S. Sethi (1987). "Technology Strategy: The Role of Strategic Planning and Monitoring Systems," in pp. 33-45 in A.S. Sethi, D.H. J. Caro and R.S. Schuler (eds.) Strategic Management of Technostress in an Information SocietyLewiston, N Y.: C.J. Hogrefe.
10.
Chiriboga, D.A., G. Jenkins, J. Bailey (1983). "Stress and Coping Among Hospice Nurses: Test of an Analytic Model." Nursing Research32, 5 (September/October): 294-299.
11.
Claus, K. and J. Bailey (1980). Living With Stress and Promoting Well Being. St Louis. Mosby.
12.
Cobb, S. (1976). "Social Support as a Moderator of Life Stress ." Psychosomatic Medicine38, 5 (September/October): 300-314.
13.
Cobb, S. and R. Rose (1973). "Hypertension, Peptic Ulcers, and Diabetes in Air Traffic Controllers." JAMA224 (April 23): 489-492
14.
Crump, J.H. (1979). "A Review of Stress in Air Traffic Control: Its Measurement and Effects." Aviation, Space, and Environmental Medicine50, 3 (March) 243-248.
15.
Dougherty, J.D., D.K. Trites, and J.R. Dille (1965). "Self-Reported Stress-Related Symptoms Among Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCs) and Non-ATCs Personnel." Aerospace Medicine36 (October): 956-960.
16.
Duncan, S. and M. Kravits (1979). Police Stress—A Selected BibliographyWashington, D.C.. Superintendent of Documents .
17.
The Economist (U K ) (1985) " How Business Beats Stress "295 (7389), April 13. 83.
18.
Fabricatore, J.M. and J. Dash (1977) "Suicide, Divorce, and Psychological Health Among Police Officers." Essence1225-231
19.
Feldman, D.C. (1976). "A Practical Program for Employee Socialization " Organizational Dynamics5 (Autumn): 64-80.
20.
Golembiewski, R. , R. Munzenrider, and C. Phelan-Carter (1983) "Phases of Progressive Burnout and Their Work Site Variants: Critical Issues in OD Research and Practices . Journal of Applied Behavioral Science19, 4461-481
21.
Golembiewski, R.T., R.F. Munzenrider, and J.G. Stevenson (189). "Centrality of Burnout in a Public Agency: Multiple Measurements Supporting Common Conclusions." Review of Public Personnel Administration9, 1 (Fall). 28-44
22.
Golembiewski, R.T. , RF. Munzenrider , and J.G. Stevenson (eds ) (1986) Stress in Organizations Toward a Phase Model of BurnoutNew York : Praeger
23.
Grayson, R. (1972). "Air Controllers Syndrome: Peptic Ulcers in Air Traffic Controllers." Illinois Medical Journal142 (August) 111-115 passim
24.
Handy, J.A. (1988). "Theoretical and Methodological Problems with Occupational Stress and Burnout Research." Human Relations41, 5 (May): 351-369
25.
Heffron, F. (1989). Organization Theory and Public Organizations Englewood Cliffs, N.J.Prentice-Hall
26.
Hitz, D. (1973). "Drunken Sailors and Others Drinking Problems in Specific Occupations." Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol34, 2 (June): 496-505.
27.
Hopkin, V.D. (1988) "Air Traffic Control," pp. 639-663 in E.L. Wiener and D.C Nagel (eds.) Human factors in AviationNew York: Academic Press.
28.
Huckabay, L. and B. Jagla (1979) "Nurses Stress Factors in the Intensive Care Unit ." Journal of Nursing Administration9, 2 (February): 21-26.
29.
Jackson, S.E. and C. Maslach (1982). "After-Effects of Job-Related Stress." Journal of Occupational Behavior3: 63-77
30.
Jacobson, S. (1978). "Stressful Situations for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses." American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing3, 3 (May/June): 144-150.
31.
Jacobson, S.F. and H.M. McGrath (eds.) (1983) Nurses Under StressNew York: Wiley
32.
Jones, L.M. (1982) Management and Employee Relationships Within the Federal Aviation Administration Report to the Federal Aviation Agency. (U S. Department of Transportation) Contract #DTFA01-82-L-30006
33.
Kaye, B.L (1980) "Up is Not the Only Way." Supervisory Management25, 5. 2-9.
34.
Kets deVries, M.F.R. (1984) "Organizational Stress Management Audit" pp. 251-276 in A.S. Sethi and R. S. Schuler (eds ) Handbook of Organizational Stress Coping StrategiesCambridge, Mass.. Ballinger .
35.
Kotter, J.P. ( 1973). "The Psychological Contract: Managing the Joining up Process." California Management Review15, 3 (Spring): 91-99.
36.
Koumans, A.H.R. ( 1965). "Psychiatric Consultation in an Intensive Care Unit." JAMA194, 8 (November): 663-637.
Kroes, W. (1976). Society's Victim The Policeman An Analysis of Job Stress in Policing. Springfield, Ill.: Charles C. Thomas.
39.
Lau, J.B. and A.B. Sham (1988). Behavior in OrganizationsHomewood, Ill.: Richard D. Irwin.
40.
Lester, D. (1983). "Stress in Police Officers: An American Perspective ." The Police Journal56, (April): 184-193.
41.
Lester, D. and J. Gallagher (1980). "Stress in Police Officers and Department Store Managers." Psychological Reports46, 3 (June): 882.
42.
Lester, D. and S.R. Mink (1979). "Is Stress Higher in Police Officers? An Exploration Study." Psychological Reports45, 2 (October): 554.
43.
MacBride, A. (1978). Psychosocial Stress Among Ontario Air Traffic Controllers Report to Transport Canada and the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association
44.
MacBride, A.J.Cochrane, A.Sheldon, W.A.Lancee, O. Dolgoy, and S.J. Freeman (1981). Occupational Stress Among Canadian Air Transportation Administration Employees Ontario Region. Final Report to Transport Canada.
45.
Maloney, J. (1979). Job Stress and Its Consequences on a Group of Intensive Care Unit Nurses University of Maryland, unpublished doctoral dissertation . Dissertation Abstracts International.41/02-B: 521.
46.
Maloney, J.P. (1982). "Job Stress and Its Consequences on a Group of Intensive Care and Non-Intensive Care Nurses." Advances in Nursing Science4, 4 (January): 31-42.
47.
Maslach, C. and S. Jackson (1981). "The Measurement of Experienced Burnout." Journal of Occupational Behavior2: 99-113.
48.
Miller, A., et al. (1988). "Stress on the Job." Newsweek . (April 25): 40-45.
49.
Mollick, L.R. (1983). "The Corporation Needs a Psychologist." Occupational Health and Safety52, 10 (October): 36-40.
50.
Newlin, N. and D. Wellisch (1978). "The Oncology Nurse: Life on an Emotional Roller Coaster." Cancer Nursing1,6 (December): 447-449.
51.
Norris, E. (1980) "Stress: Employers and Insurers Feel the Gains of Spreading Occupational Ailment." Business Insurance14: 34.
52.
Ostrov, E. (1986). "Police/Law Enforcement and Psychology." Behavioral Science and the Law4, 4. 353-370.
53.
Payne, R. (1984). Review of W. Paine's, "Job Stress and Burnout: Research Theory and Intervention Perspectives." Journal of Occupational Psychology57: 175-176.
54.
Petrosino, B.M. (1984). "Staffing and Stress Management," in S.H Schraff's Hospice The Nursing PerspectiveNew York : National League for Nursing: 73-91.
55.
Rose, R.M., C.D. Jenkins, and M.W. Hurst (1978). Air Traffic Controller Health Change Study Final Report to the Federal Aviation Agency. (U.S. Department of Transportation . Boston University School of Medicine.
56.
Russo, P.A., Jr., A.S. Engle, S.H. Hatting (1983). "Police and Occupational Stress: An Empirical Investigation," pp. 89-106 in R.R. Bennett (ed.) Police at work Policy Issues and AnalysisBeverly Hills: Sage.
Stroebel, C.F. (1987). Quieting Response Training New York: BMA Information Services.
59.
Terry, W.C. III, (1981). "Police Stress: The Empirical Evidence." Journal of Police Science and Administration9, 1 (March): 61-75.
60.
Vachon, M.L.S. (1984). "Occupational Stress in the Care of the Critically Ill and Dying," in R.J. Burke (ed ) Current Issues in Occupational Stress Research and InterventionToronto: York University Press.
61.
VanRaalte, R.C. (1979). "Alcohol as a Problem Among Officers." The Police Chief44, 1: 38-40.
62.
Wanous, J.P. (1973). "Effects of a Realistic Job Preview on Job Acceptance, Job Attitudes, and Job Survival." Journal of Applied Psychology58, 3: 327-332.
63.
Wanous, J.P. (1975). "Tell It Like It Is at Realistic Job Previews ." Personnel52, 4 (July/ August): 50-60.
64.
Wojtyna, E.F. (1978). Police Stress—A BibliographyMcClellan, Al.: U.S. Department of the Army.
65.
Wolf, J.F. and F.P. Sherwood (1981). "Coaching: Supporting Public Executives on the Job." Public Administration Review41, 5 (September/October) 73-76.
