Occupational stress and job strain

Abstract

Aims: 1. Provide different perspectives and methodological approaches for studying occupational stress and job strain. 2. Illustrate the role of work environment for well-being. 3. Raise awareness of interdependency between occupational stress and job strain dimensions. 4. Show how occupational stress and job strain can be evaluated to achieve a better quality of life. Rationale: An accumulated evidence supports the proposition that stress at work can be regarded as a major public health problem and a cause for concern for health-care policy-makers. In several European countries, occupational stress and job strain are legitimate bases for a compensation claim and represent two major reasons for sickness absences and work disability. This year’s conference is focusing on innovative ideas in health psychology; regarding workplace, it is very important present recent progresses in the studies that take into account both occupational stress and job strain dimensions. Both occupational stress and job strain influence quality of life and health. Summary and timetable: The symposium starts with a presentation by Pisanti who will present data showing that professional efficacy beliefs play a mediating role between psychosocial job resources and positive dimensions, in a group of Italian teachers. Basinka will describe cross sectional and longitudinal data showing significant patterns of associations between affective dimensions and burnout. Van der Doef will discuss data evaluating the associations between work environment dimensions and bullying in organizations. Truchot will illustrate how occupational stressors could account for the burnout and depression in a sample of French Farmers. Casini and Violani will discuss the theoretical and methodological issues raised by the four presentations.