Coping with Work Stress
A Review and Critique
September 2010
200 Pages, Hardcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
ISBN:
978-0-470-99766-6
John Wiley & Sons
Coping with Work Stress: A Review and Critique highlights
current research relating to the coping strategies of individuals
and organizations, and provides best practice techniques for
dealing with the growing epidemic of stress and lack of overall
well-being at work.
* Reviews and critiques the most current research focusing on
workplace stress
* Provides 'best practice' techniques for dealing with stress at
the workplace
* Extends beyond stress to cover broader issues of well-being at
work
1 Work stress and coping: Setting the scene.
The term 'stress'.
The costs of stress.
Sickness absence.
Labour turnover.
Presenteeism.
Work and mental health generally.
The changing work context and work stressors.
Work stressors: Some issues.
Changing work stressors.
2 Coping: The measurement debate.
A history and some definitional issues surrounding coping.
Defi ning coping and definitional issues.
The measurement of coping.
Coping checklists.
Classifying coping and creating scales.
3 New directions for coping research.
New developments in appraisal.
The infl uence of positive psychology.
From positive psychology to proactive coping.
Other developments in coping.
Progress towards understanding coping effectiveness.
From stress to emotions to positive emotions and coping.
4 Coping with specific work-related stressors.
Types of coping.
Coping with work stressors.
Coping strategies used by specific occupational groups.
Future directions in research on coping with specific work
stressors.
5 Coping with work-life conflict.
Social support.
Personal control.
Personal coping strategies.
Organizational strategies to ameliorate work-life
conflict.
Conclusions.
6 Stress management interventions.
Conceptual framework for stress management interventions.
Evaluating stress management interventions.
Factors infl uencing the effectiveness of stress management
interventions.
Some guidelines for effective interventions.
Conclusions.
7 Coping with work stress: An agenda for the future.
Continuing debates: Emerging context.
Building a future research agenda from the themes of the
past.
The characteristics of coping and coping types.
Assessment of coping behaviours.
Coping styles versus coping strategies.
The role of meaning in coping research.
Coping effectiveness.
Personal coping versus organizational stress management
interventions.
From stress to well-being.
Conclusions.
References.
Index.
The term 'stress'.
The costs of stress.
Sickness absence.
Labour turnover.
Presenteeism.
Work and mental health generally.
The changing work context and work stressors.
Work stressors: Some issues.
Changing work stressors.
2 Coping: The measurement debate.
A history and some definitional issues surrounding coping.
Defi ning coping and definitional issues.
The measurement of coping.
Coping checklists.
Classifying coping and creating scales.
3 New directions for coping research.
New developments in appraisal.
The infl uence of positive psychology.
From positive psychology to proactive coping.
Other developments in coping.
Progress towards understanding coping effectiveness.
From stress to emotions to positive emotions and coping.
4 Coping with specific work-related stressors.
Types of coping.
Coping with work stressors.
Coping strategies used by specific occupational groups.
Future directions in research on coping with specific work
stressors.
5 Coping with work-life conflict.
Social support.
Personal control.
Personal coping strategies.
Organizational strategies to ameliorate work-life
conflict.
Conclusions.
6 Stress management interventions.
Conceptual framework for stress management interventions.
Evaluating stress management interventions.
Factors infl uencing the effectiveness of stress management
interventions.
Some guidelines for effective interventions.
Conclusions.
7 Coping with work stress: An agenda for the future.
Continuing debates: Emerging context.
Building a future research agenda from the themes of the
past.
The characteristics of coping and coping types.
Assessment of coping behaviours.
Coping styles versus coping strategies.
The role of meaning in coping research.
Coping effectiveness.
Personal coping versus organizational stress management
interventions.
From stress to well-being.
Conclusions.
References.
Index.
"Richly referenced to open further research and understanding, this book is an amazing and indispensable study of a difficult working condition. It is hoped that it will receive a wide circulation in every industry whose workforce is at risk of neglected work stress." (RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health Journal, 1 July 2011)
"Dewe (organizational behavior, U. of London, UK) et al. review issues surrounding work stress and coping research, what is needed to sustain this research, and possible new coping strategies for individuals and organizations to use when dealing with work stress and improving health and well-being." (Reference and Research Book News, February 2011)
With the growing epidemic of stress and the lack of overall
well-being at work, Coping with Work Stress could not have
come at a better time! The authors, all experts on the topics of
stress and coping, cover the basic concepts and measurement issues
associated with stress and its many negative symptoms and then
offer many excellent and useable suggestions about how individuals
and organizations can better cope with stress to help reduce those
symptoms. Overall, a highly readable and important book on stress
and coping that is a must for everyone.'
--Professor Randall S. Schuler, Rutgers University, USA
"In Coping with Work Stress, Philip Dewe, Michael
O'Driscoll and Cary Cooper provide an excellent review of the
literature in this field, highlighting areas of debate and their
possible resolution. A must-read for researchers, as it provides
opportunities for advancing the quality of coping studies in the
workplace. Their linking of personal coping with
organizational-level interventions, and their emphasis on positive
outcomes as well as illness, have important individual and
organizational health implications as well."
--Ronald J. Burke, Professor Emeritus, York University,
Canada
"Dewe (organizational behavior, U. of London, UK) et al. review issues surrounding work stress and coping research, what is needed to sustain this research, and possible new coping strategies for individuals and organizations to use when dealing with work stress and improving health and well-being." (Reference and Research Book News, February 2011)
With the growing epidemic of stress and the lack of overall
well-being at work, Coping with Work Stress could not have
come at a better time! The authors, all experts on the topics of
stress and coping, cover the basic concepts and measurement issues
associated with stress and its many negative symptoms and then
offer many excellent and useable suggestions about how individuals
and organizations can better cope with stress to help reduce those
symptoms. Overall, a highly readable and important book on stress
and coping that is a must for everyone.'
--Professor Randall S. Schuler, Rutgers University, USA
"In Coping with Work Stress, Philip Dewe, Michael
O'Driscoll and Cary Cooper provide an excellent review of the
literature in this field, highlighting areas of debate and their
possible resolution. A must-read for researchers, as it provides
opportunities for advancing the quality of coping studies in the
workplace. Their linking of personal coping with
organizational-level interventions, and their emphasis on positive
outcomes as well as illness, have important individual and
organizational health implications as well."
--Ronald J. Burke, Professor Emeritus, York University,
Canada
Philip J. Dewe is Vice-Master of Birkbeck and Professor of
Organizational Behaviour in the Department of Organizational
Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London. He is a member of the
editorial board of Work and Stress and the International
Journal of Stress Management, and an Associate Editor of the
American Journal of Heath Promotion.
Michael P. O'Driscoll is Professor of Psychology at
the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He is the co-author of
several books relating to work stress, has served on the editorial
boards of several academic journals, and was editor of the New
Zealand Journal of Psychology, 2001-2006.
Cary L. Cooper, CBE, is Distinguished Professor of
Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University. He is
also Chair of the Academy of Social Sciences, President of the
British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Editor of the
journal Stress and Health and was lead scientist on the UK
government's Foresight project on Mental Capital and
Wellbeing.
Organizational Behaviour in the Department of Organizational
Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London. He is a member of the
editorial board of Work and Stress and the International
Journal of Stress Management, and an Associate Editor of the
American Journal of Heath Promotion.
Michael P. O'Driscoll is Professor of Psychology at
the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He is the co-author of
several books relating to work stress, has served on the editorial
boards of several academic journals, and was editor of the New
Zealand Journal of Psychology, 2001-2006.
Cary L. Cooper, CBE, is Distinguished Professor of
Organizational Psychology and Health at Lancaster University. He is
also Chair of the Academy of Social Sciences, President of the
British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, Editor of the
journal Stress and Health and was lead scientist on the UK
government's Foresight project on Mental Capital and
Wellbeing.