1. CHAPTER 14
Stress and Burnout

2. The nature of stress
Emotional and physiological aspects of stress: Selye’s stage theory
Alarm reaction
Resistance
Exhaustion
The nature of stressors
They are intense and/or overwhelming: overload
They evoke simultaneous incompatible tendencies
They are uncontrollable
Cognitive appraisal of an event as stressful
Perception that the situation threatens important goals
Perception that effective coping isn’t possible

3. Major causes of stress
Work-related causes: heat, noise, crowding, danger, lack of privacy
Social conditions: high level of politics, abusive or uncaring management atmosphere, discrimination, and harassment
Occupational demands: highly stressful occupations
Frequent decisions
Constant monitoring of devices or materials
Repeated exchanges of information with others
Unpleasant physical conditions
Performing unstructured rather than structured tasks
Jobs that create problems for one’s relationships at home

4. Major causes of stress Multiple roles
Family stressors versus work stressors: gender differences
Drawbacks: role conflicts, divided attention and energy, increasing backlogs both inside and outside the work setting
Benefits: new areas of autonomy, control, self-definition, personal satisfaction, and social support
The benefits of working are evident for wives only when their husbands share family responsibilities.

5. Major causes of stress Types of role conflict Overload and underload
Inter-role conflict
Person-role conflict
Within-role conflict
Overload and underload
Qualitative and quantitative overload
Qualitative and quantitative underload
The desirability of the “middle course”

6. Major causes of stress Responsibility for others
Isolation and the lack of social support: advice, comfort, help, sense of perspective
Unemployment: uncertainty, financial strain, loss of self-esteem, concern with loss of esteem from others, sense of helplessness, depression

7. Personal factors and stress
Stressful life events and physical illness
Daily hassles: You’re on your own
Individual differences in resistance to stress
Optimism as a buffer against stress: problem-focused coping, seeking social support, taking a time out from other activities
Gender and ethnic differences: Women report stronger positive and negative emotions and rely more on social support. Hispanics have both a social and a health advantage.
Attitudes and stress (see the list on page 414 of the text)

8. Life events: some are more stressful than others
Relative Stressfulness
Death of a spouse
100
Divorce 73
Jail term 63
Death of a close family member
Marriage 50
Fired from job 47
Retirement 45
Trouble with boss 23
Change in residence 20
Vacation 13
Christmas 12

9. Stress: some important effects
Stress and physical health: 50-70% of physical illnesses are stress-related, including heart disease, ulcers, and diabetes
Stress and mental health: anxiety, depression, irritation, anger, fatigue, reduced feelings of competence, self-worth, and job satisfaction, and a sense of helplessness
Stress and behavior at work: impaired performance of complicated tasks, poor decision making, increased absenteeism, turnover, alcohol and drug abuse

11. Stress: some important effects
Stress and physical health: 50-70% of physical illnesses are stress-related, including heart disease, ulcers, and diabetes
Stress and mental health: anxiety, depression, irritation, anger, fatigue, reduced feelings of competence, self-worth, and job satisfaction, and a sense of helplessness
Stress and behavior at work: impaired performance of complicated tasks, poor decision making, increased absenteeism, turnover, alcohol and drug abuse

12. Burnout
Burnout begins with disillusionment: you can’t change things much, each day is the same old routine, each day brings more stress and more problems
Physical exhaustion: headache, nausea, poor sleep, loss of energy and loss of appetite
Emotional exhaustion: depression, emotional numbness, feelings of helplessness and feeling trapped, low sense of accomplishment

13. Burnout Major causes of burnout Prolonged exposure to stress
Problems with the way the organization functions
Conditions implying that your effects are useless, futile, ineffective, unrecognized, and unappreciated
Supervisors who don’t show consideration
Personal factors: taking the job too seriously, working in helping professions, being a hypercontroller, not having a communal orientation

14. Burnout Major effects of burnout Countering the effects of burnout
Giving up and seeking new jobs or careers
Taking a desk job within the same profession
Countering the effects of burnout
Seeking increased social support
Developing hobbies and outside interests
Relaxation strategies: short breaks, exercise, meditation, power naps
List of recommendations on page 421

15. Techniques for managing stress
Being married or having another strong social support network
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle: getting regular physical exercise, eating right, avoiding drug and alcohol abuse
Using effective coping techniques: emotional coping, mental coping, active behavioral coping
Getting control of emotions: relaxation training, deep breathing, meditation, biofeedback training