Stress Management

1. 5 C H A P T E R StressManagement F I V E

2. What is Stress? • An adaptive response to a situation that is perceived as challenging or threatening to the person’s well-being • Stressors- an environmental condition or stimuli that places physical or emotional demand on a person • Examples • Physical • Emotional

3. Types of stress • Episodic Stress- pattern of high stress followed by intervals of relief • Chronic Stress- constant confrontation of stressors without relief • Effects are: • constant • additive • Distress- stress that has a negative consequence on a person’s well-being

4. General Adaptation Syndrome • Automatic defense system to help cope with with environmental demands • Three stages of adaptation • Alarm reaction- perception of stressor • Resistance- ability to cope rises above normal because of activated defense mechanisms such as adrenaline • Exhaustion- body must rest and recover from heightened resistance stage • Prolonged resistance leads to system breakdown

5. General Adaptation Syndrome Stage 1 Alarm Reaction Stage 2 Resistance Stage 3 Exhaustion DANGER ZONE Normal Level of Resistance

6. Individual Differences Consequences of Stress Physiological Behavioral Psychological Stress over time Nonwork Stressors Stressors and Stress Outcomes Work Stressors Physical environment Role-related Interpersonal Organizational

7. Role-Related Stressors • Role conflict • interrole conflict • intrarole conflict • person-role conflict • Role ambiguity • uncertain duties, authority • Role overload/underload • Task characteristics • decisions, monitoring, traffic problems

8. Stress Research • Type A and complexity leads to cardiovascular problems • Job Control, Job Complexity, Self-Efficacy interact to influence blood pressure • Burnout as a process • Emotional Exhaustion - lack of energy and a feeling that one’s emotional resources are used up • Coping Strategy for emotional buffer • Sense of inadequacy

9. Emotional Exhaustion Physiological, psychological, and behavioral consequences Depersonalization Reduced Personal Accomplishment Job Burnout Process Interpersonal and Role-Related Stressors

10. Antecedents • Job Characteristics - client interactions, overload, ambiguity, conflict • Organizational Characteristics - reward and punishment systems, job context (shift, psych environment, etc.) • Personal Characteristics - Age, Social Support, Marriage, Expectations, Career progress

11. Consequences • Attitudinal • Behavioral • Interpersonal

12. Social Support and Undermining • Social Support- interpersonal transactions with others that provide either emotional or informational support • reduces effects of stress • feel valued • feel capable of handling a situation • buffers effects, someone to talk to, etc. • Social Undermining

13. Cognitive Dissonance Theory • Leon Festinger 1967 • Three aspects of attitudes must follow each other • cognitive aspect- knowledge about an object • affective aspect- liking of the object • behavioral aspect- behavior toward the object • If dissonance is present there is stress and a need to change an aspect of the attitude to produce agreement among the elements

14. Changing Aspects of Attitudes • Affected by level of control • “can I control the aspects of my attitude?” • “Do I have a choice regarding performance of the behavior?” • Behaviors are set by habit and view of others • Ignore current knowledge • Seek knew knowledge • Alter beliefs • Hypocrasy effects level of dissonance

15. Emotional Labor • Experiencing dissonance as a part of an individual’s role • Presenting a friendly attitude while holding a negative attitude • Mainly in service positions where employees must always be “happy” • flight attendants • secretaries • Backstage areas • out of sight of customer

16. Interpersonal Stressor: Sexual Harassment • Unwelcome conduct -- detrimental effect on work environment or job performance • Quid pro quo • employment or job performance is conditional on unwanted sexual relations • Hostile work environment • an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment

17. Interpersonal Stressor: Workplace Violence • 2 million people experience some form of violence at work each year • Most common cause of work-related death for women; second most common for men • Severe distress after experiencing or observing violence • Also stress from working in high-risk jobs

18. Work-Family Stressors • Time-based conflict • due to work schedule, commuting, travel • for women -- still do most household chores • Strain-based conflict • work stress affects home, and vice versa • Role behavior conflict • incompatible work and family roles

19. Top 10 Life Stressors 10. Retirement or quitting 9. Marital reconciliation 8. Fired from work 7. Marriage 6. Personal injury or illness 5. Death of a family member 4. Jail Term 3. Marital Separation 2. Divorce 1. Death

20. Stress and Occupations Accountant Artist Auto Mechanic Forester Hospital manager Physician (GP) Psychologist School principal Police officer 911 operator U.S. president Waiter/waitress Low-Stress Occupations Medium-Stress Occupations High-Stress Occupations

21. Individual Differences in Stress • Perceive the situation differently • Different threshold levels of resistance to stressor • Use different stress coping strategies • Personality Type

22. Personality Type • Type A- impatient, restless, competitive, aggressive, under intense perceived time pressure, always attempting to accomplish several things at once • need job and career control • have more health problems and shorter careers • Type B- does not feel pressure, works slowly and enjoyably on a variety of tasks • Important to match personality type with position to avoid stress

23. Consequences of Distress • Physiological consequences • 50%-75% of all illnesses • Lower for women • cardiovascular diseases • ulcers, sexual dysfunction, headaches • Behavioral consequences • work performance, accidents, decisions • absenteeism -- due to sickness and flight • workplace aggression • Psychological Consequences • moodiness, depression, emotional fatigue

24. Coping with STRESS • Individual Coping Strategies • Problem focused- solve the problem, don’t procrastinate • Time management- self-management • scheduling, rewards, punishments • Seeking Help • mentoring- process of senior performer coaching a junior one • Change jobs

25. Coping.... • Emotion-focused • Relaxation • meditation • napping • Exercise • Psychological • Employee Assistance Programs • Recreation • Companionship

26. Family-Friendly and Work/Life Initiatives • Flexible work time • Job sharing • Telecommuting • Personal leave • Childcare facilities

27. Other Stress Management Practices • Withdrawing from the stressor • person-job matching • work breaks, stabilization zones, sabbaticals • Changing stress perceptions • self-efficacy, self-leadership • Controlling stress consequences • relaxation and meditation • fitness and lifestyle programs • Social support • emotional and informational