A Longitudinal Study about Stress, Burnout and Coping

Abstract

A longitudinal study was completed (T and T+10 years) that aimed to evaluate the evolution of Stress levels and to identify Psychologists' Coping Strategies in the Algarve (south of Portugal). The sample used in this field study was comprised of 70 psychologists at the moment T and 63 at the moment T+10 years. The followed methodology consisted of descriptive statistics and simple regression equations using the SPSS v17.0 software. The results show some significant differences between the two evaluated moments (T and T+10 years) at Stress and Burnout level. However, at both evaluation moments (T and T+10 years), the Coping strategies used more by the evaluated psychologists were the control strategies and the ones they found more effective were the symptoms management. These results have major implications both for the psychologists and for the organizations for which they work. Key-words: Stress, Burnout, Coping, Psychologists. Occupational stressOccupational stress can be defined by the organizational stressors -work related factors and their complexities that go beyond the confront capacity of the individual and/or physiological, psychological and behavioural responses to tension in work situations (Jex, 1998; Jones & Kinoman, 2001). These organizational stressors, also known as Stress determinant factors, have been particularly studied by several authors (Cooper & Marchal, 1977; Beehr & Mcgrath, 1996; Mcgrath & Beer, 1990, et al.). Among them, and in our opinion, the Stress Factors Model by Cooper and Marchal (1977) is the one that looks the best to use in this article. These two authors conducted extensive research to identify the main factors which may be the origin of Occupational Stress. A first potential Stress factor emerges from the intrinsic aspects of work, in other words, the qualitative overload (task difficulty) or quantitative (excess) of work (Alvarez, 2003; Burden, 1988;Huberty & Huebner, 1988;Manthei, 1987; Reiner & Harstshore, 1982, et. al). A second Stress factor lies in the relations established with the supervisors, in questions related to the supervision. This factor is also identified in other studies (Burden, 1988; Reiner & Harthore, 1982, et al.). Another Stress factor focuses on the role the worker performs in the organization (Cooper & Smith, 2007; International Journal of Human Resource Studies ISSN 2162-3058 2013 www.macrothink.org/ijhrs 110 Huebner, 1992;Huebner & Mills, 1997; Simons, 2006;Wise, 1985), who may feel the paper that was assigned to him is full of ambiguities, or there are role conflicts between him and other decisive workers in the organization. A fourth Stress factor may be associated to the opportunities given by the organization to open new perspectives to the worker, either monetary, social benefits, improvement opportunities and/or career progression (Schwab, Jackson & Schuler, 1986, et. al). Another Stress factor is the perceived social support by the organization which works as a palliative between the worker and his superiors, subordinates an...

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