Abstract
Recent research conducted with Army recruiters has classified recruiting as a high-risk occupation that includes consistently high levels of stress (Mullins & Fatkin, 2000). Research found that recruiters with high neuroticism scores perceived higher levels of job-related stress. The objective of the present study was to validate these previous findings and identify recruiter characteristics that contribute to recruiter stress and performance.
Participants for the study included 55 recruiters. The Zuckerman Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire III-Revised (ZKPQ) was used to measure personality. The Multiple Affect Adjective CheckList - Revised (MAACL-R), Subjective Stress Scale, and Specific Rating of Events Scale were used to measure state levels of stress.
A cluster analysis was performed with the five subscale measures of the ZKPQ resulting in a four-cluster solution: High Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-High Neuroticism, Low Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism, and High Impulsivity-Low Neuroticism. Separate ANOVAs were computed between personality clusters and recruiter performance and stress measures. Research findings partially supported previous results. Consistent with previous findings (Mullins & Fatkin, 2000), differences in personality did not result in mission performance differences. MAACL-R results indicate that individuals in the high Neuroticism groups perceive higher levels of stress. However, findings for the Subjective Stress Scale and Specific Rating of Events Scale were not significantly related to trait personality clusters.
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