Chronic Work Stress and Coping: A Longitudinal Study and Suggested New Directions

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between chronic work stressors, coping techniques, distress symptoms, and work performance for 91 organizational newcomers. Contrary to expectations, choice of coping technique failed to account for significant variance in distress symptoms, mastery, or performance. However, distress symptoms reported prior to beginning a new job accounted for 32 percent of the variance in distress symptoms reported nine months after beginning the job, suggesting a possible dispositional influence on symptom reporting. Explanations for the findings are discussed and several suggestions offered for improving the future study of work stress.