Organizational Characteristics, Occupational Stress, and Depression in Rural Emergency Medical Technicians

Abstract

A model of organizational characteristics, occupational stress and mental health in emergency medical technicians (EMTs) is developed and tested. Supervisor behavior and work group support are used as predictors of negative role perception. Negative role perception is specified as intervening between the organizational variables and occupational stress. Occupational stress is hypothesized to directly influence depression. Data collected from 250 EMTs is used in a structural equation analysis to estimate model parameters. The sample is mostly male (74%), white (94%), and married (68%). Results suggest that there is a direct relationship between perceived occupational stress and increased depression. Role perception is a critical intervening variable between supervisor behavior, work group support, and occupational stress. The findings suggest that EMTs are more satisfied when supervisory practices result in an environment which encourages open expression and group problem solving. This work environment leads to more supportive relationships among squad members, reduced role ambiguity, and decreased occupational stress and depression.

Impact of work environment characteristics on work‐related stress and depression in emergency medicine residents: A longitudinal study

“…The findings of this longitudinal study of emergency medicine residents support: (a) the relationship between high work group support and task-role clarity and less work-related stress; and (b) the relationship between high work-related stress and increased symptoms of depression. This study confirms previous research on primary care physicians Revicki and May, 1985), emergency physicians (Gallery et al, 1992), emergency medicine residents (Whitley et al, 1989Revicki et al, in press), nurses (Gray-Toft and Anderson, 1985;Revicki and May, 1989) and emergency medicine technicians (Revicki et al, 1988). This study extended previous analyses of cross-sectional data and provides further insight into the relationship between work-related stress and psychological distress in a health profession.…”

“…Internal consistency reliability for this group of emergency medicine residents was 0.84 (see also Revicki, May and Whitley, 1991). The WRSI has good construct, discriminant and convergent validity Revicki and May, 1985;Revicki et al, 1988;Revicki, May and Whitley, 1991;Gallery et al, 1992).…”

“…The theoretical model underlying this investigation is based on the authors' previous research on work-related stress Revicki, Whitley, Landis and Allison, 1988;Revicki and May, 1989;Revicki et al, in press). It is hypothesized that residents experiencing task and role ambiguity and little support in the work environment are more likely to report work-related stress.…”

“…It is hypothesized that residents experiencing task and role ambiguity and little support in the work environment are more likely to report work-related stress. Research in complex organizations confirms that role ambiguity and conflict result in increased occupational stress and decreased performance (Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, Snoek and Rosenthal, 1964;Cartwright, 1979;Gray-Toft and Anderson, 1985;Revicki et al, 1988;Revicki and May, 1989).…”

“…This model of organizational characteristics (e.g. task and role conflict or ambiguity, work group function), work-related stress and psychological distress has been applied in cross-sectional studies of hospital nurses (Gray-Toft and Anderson, 1985;Revicki and May, 1989), emergency medical technicians (Revicki et al, 1988), and emergency medicine residents (Revicki et al, in press). This study examines these relationships using longitudinal data on emergency medicine residents.…”