A critical evaluation of the effectiveness of a stress management programme
Date
1996
Authors
Crous, Karen Deborah
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Abstract
stress management training is costly, yet widely used in
industry with high expectations of the immediate and long-term
benefits to both individual employees and the organisation
(Monat & Lazarus( 1991). It has become apparent that, in spite
of the banality of such stress management training, there is a
significant lag in evaluative research to support these
techniques (Cullen & Sandberg, 1987).
The aim of the study was thus to appraise the effectiveness of
a stress management programme in terms of individual
psychological benefits (reduced stress; increased coping
capacity; perceived control) and work attitudes (job
satisfaction; propensity to leave the organisation). A second
aim of the study was to determine whether, over the course of
the intervention, there would be any significant differences
in the outcome of the programme, for those demonstrating
negative or positive affective predispositions.
Data was collected using a self-report strategy in a field
setting, using a short-term longitudinal research design. The
sample consisted of 27 employees participating in a stress
management programme. Matched-pair t-tests were generated to
evaluate the extent of the impact of participation in the
stress management progamme on subjects, from pretest to
posttest.
The main findings of the study were that the stress management
programme intervention yielded only small changes in stress,
coping, perceived control, job satisfaction and propensity to
leave. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings
are discussed and future directions for research considered.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faoulty of Arts, University of
the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Arts (Industrial Psyohology).
Keywords
Stress management -- Study and teaching -- South Africa.