Predicting physical and mental health status through interview-based evaluation of work stress: initial attempts to standardize the interviewing method

Abstract

This study conducted an interview-based stress evaluation that considered the psychosocial models of work stress and verified the evaluation's predictive validity.A four-stage assessment comprising a pre-survey, pre-interview questionnaire, stress assessment interview, and post-survey after one month was conducted with 50 Japanese workers. Additionally, 16 occupational health professionals provided stress evaluations based on recorded interview videos. Variables based on intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were computed in multiple ways to compare the agreement among the evaluators. The generalized estimating equation (GEE) was conducted to evaluate the prediction models. The overall ICC among the evaluators was 0.58. The GEE revealed that the mean score of the evaluators in the interviewbased stress evaluation significantly predicted psychological symptoms (β = 2.02, p = 0.019), burnout (β = 0.77, p < 0.001), and well-being (β = -0.64, p = 0.007) one month later, even after adjusting for the self-reported stress levels measured in the pre-survey. The predictive validity of the proposed interview-based stress evaluation was confirmed. Although there are several challenges in standardizing this evaluation, semi-structured interviews are an effective tool for understanding work stress.

Causal Effects of High Stress Assessed Via Interviews on Mental and Physical Health

“…In a previous study, an interview-based stress assessment significantly predicted self-reported mental symptoms, burnout, and well-being. 30 Taken together with the results of the present study, interview-based stress assessment can be broadly used as a predictor, but high stress causally leads only to reduce well-being. Thus, when implementing measures aimed at preventing or eliminating high stress, not only self-reported health status but also well-being as an outcome should be measured to appropriately capture the effects.…”

“…This study investigated the causal effects of high stress, as assessed during interviews, on mental and physical health status 1 month later as a secondary analysis of a previously published study. 30 This study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines to ensure rigorous and transparent reporting of our findings. A detailed list of page numbers and corresponding text, which confirm its compliance with the STROBE statement, is provided in the Appendix (http://links.…”

“…For the preinterview questionnaire, please refer to a previous study. 30 Demographic (sex and age) and employment information (type of industry, employment status, number of working days per week, and working hours per day) were obtained. The following measures were collected from the questionnaire as self-reported outcomes: 1) for burnout, four items from the original version of the BJSQ were used (exhaustion, cynicism, emotional impairment, and cognitive impairment), 39 in which each "yes" response scored 1-point (4-point scale); 2) for life satisfaction and happiness, we asked, "How satisfied are you with your life?"…”

“…4 A previous study that used a generalized estimating equation (GEE) showed that stress ratings from interviews significantly predict mental symptoms, burnout, and well-being 1 month later, even after adjusting for self-reported ratings. 30 The GEE allows for an efficient and unbiased estimation of regression parameters by considering correlations among observed variables. 31 Thus, it is suitable for identifying predictive models.…”

“…We developed a semistructured stress assessment interview method based on the following psychosocial models of work stress 30 : demand-control-support, 2,3 job demand-resources, 1 and recovery experience. 4 A previous study that used a generalized estimating equation (GEE) showed that stress ratings from interviews significantly predict mental symptoms, burnout, and well-being 1 month later, even after adjusting for self-reported ratings.…”