Investigating stress in security guards on the University of Witwatersrand campus

Abstract

This report describes an investigation into the levels and symptoms of stress in a sample of security guards on the University of the Witwatersrand Campus. Stress is an integral facet of life that has deep reaching implications for an individual’s functioning in the world. Although the presence of stress can assist an individual in performing, stress can unbalance a person’s equilibrium and lead to physical, psychological and behavioural symptoms that burden them. Data from 11 security guards on the University of Witwatersrand campus was collected by means of a semi-structured interview and an orally administered, structured checklist (the SSCL). Results from both data sets are provided and discussed. The data collected from each method was compared to determine which is more appropriate for tapping into the construct of stress in this population.