Perceived Stress and Self-esteem Mediate the Effects of Work-related Stress on Depression

BACKGROUND: While the psychosocial work environment within the hospital sector is a topic of great debate, surveys assessing stress often do not differentiate between stress related to work- and private life. Identifying risk factors associated with these domains of daily life would help improve policies as well as target relevant treatment options. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate associations between stress during to work- and private time with Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (CPSS). METHODS: Perceived stress was assessed by the full version of CPSS (scores 0–40) as well as by two single-item questions related to stress related to work- and private life, respectively. Associations between these single-items and CPSS were modelled using general linear models controlling for lifestyle factors. RESULTS: Overall, stress due to both work- and private time was strongly associated with CPSS scores. In the full population (n = 3,600), “never experiencing stress” during both work- and private time was associated with low stress scores (6.0, 95%CI 5.1–6.9). “Never experiencing” work-related stress but experiencing private time stress “very often” was associated with high stress scores (22.4, CI 19.8–25.1). Likewise, experiencing work-related stress “very often” but “never experiencing” private time stress was also associated with high stress scores (22.2, CI 20.3–24.2). Lastly, Spearman’s r between the full CPSS and the two single-item questions about work- and private time stress were 0.62 (p < 0.0001) and 0.52 (p < 0.0001), respectively, while the two items were only weakly correlated (r = 0.32). CONCLUSION: The present study shows that perceived stress due to both work and private time is strongly associated with Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale scores. The results illustrate the feasibility of using single-item questions related to work- and private time in identifying domain-specific risk factors for psychosocial stress.

Download Full-text

ASSESSING THE RISK FACTORS OF WORK-RELATED STRESS AMONG HOUSE OFFICERS OF TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS, KARACHI

Pakistan Journal of Public Health ◽

10.32413/pjph.v8i2.107 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 117-122

Author(s):

Zulfiqar Ali Shaikh ◽

Noshaba Noor ◽

Aisha Farooq ◽

Maryam Khaleel ◽

Darakhshan Naqvi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

P Value ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Work Related ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Related Stress ◽

Tertiary Care Hospitals

Background: House Officers report significant levels of work-related stress that demands to be immediately addressed as it adversely affects their ability to function their best as doctors. This study aimed to assess the risk factors of psychological distress among the currently working house officers (2016-2017). Objectives: To assess the various risk factors of work-related stress amongst the house officers working in tertiary care hospitals, Karachi Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Civil Hospital, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Karachi during October 2016 and March 2017. A total of 384 house officers were approached for the study as per the sample size calculated using the Open-epi software. The questionnaire comprised of demographic data, 10-items perceived stress scale, and 12-items list of potential stressors. The severity of each stressor was measured using a five-point Likert scale (1-5) ranging from always (1) to never (5). Results: A total of 384 house officers were approached out of whom 315 (82%) participated. Among them, 115 (36.50%) were found to be under stress of whom 24 (20.8%) were males and 91(79.2%) were females. Significant difference for stressors by gender was found, these included their job having an effect on their health, change in eating habits and lack of paramedical staff cooperation (P < 0.05). Factors like increased hesitancy to take on tasks and increased tendency to make errors were found to have an impact on clinical performance (P value <0.05). Conclusion: There is high level of perceived stress in house officers of tertiary care hospitals, Karachi. Therefore, adequate steps are needed for stress management which should be dealt in terms of preventive rather than curative strategy.

Download Full-text

Effectiveness of Workplace Yoga Interventions to Reduce Perceived Stress in Employees: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology ◽

10.3390/jfmk5020033 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 33 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Elisabetta Della Valle ◽

Stefano Palermi ◽

Irene Aloe ◽

Roberto Marcantonio ◽

Rocco Spera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Perceived Stress ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Public Health Issue ◽

Control Group ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Yoga Intervention ◽

Work Related ◽

Solution Strategies ◽

Related Stress ◽

Reducing Stress

Work-related stress represents a relevant public health issue and solution strategies are mandatory. Yoga is a common approach to manage stress and its effectiveness has been extensively confirmed. Therefore, this study aims systematically to review the effectiveness of Yoga interventions carried out at workplace on work-related stress among employees and to assess their impact quantitatively. Springerlink, MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane CENTRAL and PEDro databases were searched. Clinical trials comparing workplace Yoga interventions to control groups, and evaluating perceived stress as outcome measure, were assessed for eligibility. All forms and styles of Yoga were considered for the analysis. Out of 3392 initially identified, 6 studies were included in the meta-analysis; 266 participants practicing Yoga interventions at worksite were compared to 221 subjects in control group. Included studies showed “some concerns” about different domains of source of bias. Quantitative analysis showed an overall effect size of −0.67 [95% confidence interval (CI): −0.86, −0.49] in favor of Yoga intervention in reducing stress outcome measures. Hence, workplace Yoga interventions were more effective when compared to no treatment in work-related stress management. Further high-quality studies are needed to improve the validity of these results and to specify more characteristics of the Yoga intervention, such as style, volume, and frequency.

Download Full-text

Mind-body therapies: an intervention to reduce work-related stress in veterinary academia

Veterinary Record ◽

10.1136/vr.104815 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 183 (19) ◽

pp. 596-596

Author(s):

Elpida Artemiou ◽

Gregory E Gilbert ◽

Anne Callanan ◽

Silvia Marchi ◽

Don R Bergfelt

Keyword(s):

Perceived Stress ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Average Score ◽

Personality Factor ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Openness To Change ◽

Work Related ◽

Saliva Cortisol ◽

Faculty And Staff ◽

Related Stress

Studies investigating perceived stress and mindfulness awareness support mind-body therapy (MBT) effectiveness in reducing stress and anxiety and, thus, has potential to decrease work-related stress. A pre/postexperimental design involved 30 faculty and staff working at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Saint Kitts and Nevis, who experienced a two-day MBT intervention programme. An additional 16 faculty and staff not involved in MBT who went about their daily work schedules served as contemporary controls. Demographics, Perceived Stress Scale 10 (PSS-10), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), 16 Personality Factor (16PF) Openness to Change subscale and saliva cortisol concentrations were analysed. Control participants reported significantly perceived less stress (PSS-10: M=13; sd=1.4) than intervention participants (M=20; sd=6.6) during pretest. However, at post-test the intervention group reported a significant decrease in perceived stress (M=11; sd=6.0). MAAS pretest results indicated the intervention group displayed a lower average score (M=54; sd=15.3) than control participants (M=68; sd=2.0). Post-MAAS intervention scores showed improvements in mindfulness (M=63; sd=15.3). Correlations between the 16PF Openness to Change subscale and MAAS were r=0.03 and r=−0.17 for the intervention and control groups, respectively. Mean concentrations of saliva cortisol indicated a larger and significant decline in cortisol for the intervention group both during day 1 (P=0.0001) and day 2 (P=0.0008). In conclusion, these preliminary results provide support that MBTs in veterinary academia can improve psychological and physiological aspects of personal wellbeing.

Download Full-text

Job strain and sense of coherence: Associations with stress-related outcomes among teachers

Scandinavian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1177/14034948211011812 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 140349482110118

Author(s):

Joacim Ramberg ◽

Sara Brolin Låftman ◽

Jannike Nilbrink ◽

Gabriella Olsson ◽

Susanna Toivanen

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Sense Of Coherence ◽

Depressed Mood ◽

Job Strain ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Individual Level ◽

Work Related ◽

Related Stress ◽

The Individual

Background: Teachers constitute an occupational group experiencing high levels of stress and with high sick-leave rates. Therefore, examining potentially protective factors is important. While prior research has mainly focused on the link between teachers’ own experiences of their work environment and stress-related outcomes, it is also possible that colleagues’ perception of the work environment and their possibilities for dealing with work-related stress contribute to influencing individual teachers’ stress. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate how teachers’ reports of high job strain (i.e. high demands and low control) and sense of coherence (SOC), as well as the concentration of colleagues reporting high strain and high SOC, were associated with perceived stress and depressed mood. Methods: The data were derived from the Stockholm Teacher Survey, with information from two cross-sectional web surveys performed in 2014 and in 2016 ( N=2732 teachers in 205 school units). Two-level random intercept linear regression models were performed. Results: High job strain at the individual level was associated with higher levels of perceived stress and depressed mood, but less so for individuals with high SOC. Furthermore, a greater proportion of colleagues reporting high SOC was associated with lower levels of perceived stress and depressed mood at the individual level. Conclusions: High SOC may be protective against work-related stress among teachers. Additionally, the proportion of colleagues reporting high SOC was related to less individual stress, suggesting a protective effect of school-level collective SOC.

Download Full-text

Perceived stress, disturbed sleep, and cognitive impairments in patients with work-related stress complaints: a longitudinal study

Stress ◽

10.1080/10253890.2017.1341484 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 371-378 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Anita Eskildsen ◽

Hanne Nørr Fentz ◽

Lars Peter Andersen ◽

Anders Degn Pedersen ◽

Simon Bang Kristensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Longitudinal Study ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Cognitive Impairments ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Work Related ◽

Disturbed Sleep ◽

Related Stress

Download Full-text

Perceived work-related stress and coping strategies among critical care nurses – A preliminary study from Sri Lanka

International Journal of Occupational Safety and Health ◽

10.3126/ijosh.v11i2.36139 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 95-99

Author(s):

N Sutharshan ◽

MB Nufais ◽

N Shrirajanie ◽

MH Abdul Munaff ◽

Gnanaselvam Kisokanth

Keyword(s):

Critical Care ◽

Sri Lanka ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Time Management ◽

Positive Thinking ◽

Religious Activities ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

Work Related ◽

Related Stress

Introduction: Work-related stress has become a major concern among the nurses over the years. Nurses experience a high level of work-related stress when work demands exceed their ability to cope. The study aimed to assess the perceived work-related stress level and coping strategies among nurses working in Critical Care Units at a Base Hospital in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Methods: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among all staff nurses (105) working in critical care units. Data were collected using a validated and pre-tested self-administered questionnaire. A Perceived Stress Scale developed by Cohen et al. (1983) and validated in Sri Lanka was used to assess the work-related stress, along with coping strategies. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics using SPSS version 21. Results: Around 30% of nurses had higher level of perceived stress while 45% had moderate level of perceived stress. Nearly 81% of nurses stated that religious activities are used as a common coping strategy. In addition, 96% of them used ‘positive thinking’ while 70% of them used ‘time management’ as the main coping strategy. Conclusion: The prevalence of work-related perceived stress among critical care nurses was high. Further, nurses use various emotion focused coping strategies such as regular engagement in religious activities and positive thinking and problem focused coping strategies such as time management and talk with friends/loved ones to overcome the work-related stress.

Download Full-text

Metacognitive Therapy for Work-Related Stress: A Feasibility Study

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.668245 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Stefano De Dominicis ◽

Maiken Lykke Troen ◽

Pia Callesen

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Blood Pressure ◽

Feasibility Study ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Metacognitive Therapy ◽

Work Related Stress ◽

General Mental Health ◽

Work Related ◽

Related Stress

About 25% of EU workers experience work-related stress for all or most of their working time, showing that work-related stress is a major cause of health problems for the EU population. This situation has been worsened even more by the COVID-19 restrictions embraced by employers worldwide. However, a timely and sustainable intervention protocol for treating such issues has not been developed yet. Thus, the present research shows a first effective attempt based on Metacognitive therapy (MCT) to solve this issue. MCT was practiced on four individuals suffering from chronic work-related stress. Primary outcome variables were general mental health, perceived stress, and blood pressure. Participants were assessed at multiple baselines before the start of therapy and then attended a 3- and 6-months follow-up after treatment termination. Results showed significant improvements in general mental health, perceived stress, and blood pressure in each client. Secondary outcome variables improved too—maladaptive coping strategies, avoidance behaviors, and depression symptoms—corroborating the main findings. At 3- and 6-month follow-up, results were maintained. The findings suggest that MCT might be a promising and sustainable intervention for work-related stress, although a metacognitive model for stress and large-scale RCTs need to be developed and carried out to further explore the effect of MCT on stress. Our results represent one of the first attempts to treat work-related stress via Metacognitive Therapy and support the feasibility of the treatment, both in terms of its efficacy and sustainability, in a historical moment in which work-related stress is increased worldwide because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Within such a realm, our feasibility study should be followed by larger and controlled studies that, if successful, would provide various stakeholders—including organizational and institutional decision-makers—with a solid, timely and cost-effective method to help the workforce coping with work-related stress.

Download Full-text