Stress & AcademicsStress & Academics

Is academia really stressful?Is academia really stressful?

Are academics their own enemies?Are academics their own enemies?

Professor Craig JacksonProf. Occupational Health Psychology

Head of Psychology BCU

Work has not really changed . . . Work has not really changed . . .

. . . Attitudes have changed . . . Attitudes have changed

Concerns About “Stress” as a Modern Issue Concerns About “Stress” as a Modern Issue

Definition problemsDefinition problems

Not just at workplaceNot just at workplace

Individual responseIndividual response

Personality issuesPersonality issues

Work-life BalanceWork-life Balance

Control-Demand issuesControl-Demand issues

Effort-Reward imbalanceEffort-Reward imbalance

Onus placed on workerOnus placed on worker

Loose diagnostic criteriaLoose diagnostic criteria

Too many triggersToo many triggers

Too many responsesToo many responses

Too many effect modifiersToo many effect modifiers

Used too casuallyUsed too casually

FashionableFashionable

Positive perceptionsPositive perceptions

Not reliably measuredNot reliably measured

PathogenPathogen DiseaseDisease (pathology)(pathology)

ModifiersModifiersLifestyleLifestyleIndividual susceptibilityIndividual susceptibility

Traditional Medical Model of Disease DevelopmentTraditional Medical Model of Disease Development

HazardsHazards IllnessIllness (wellbeing)(wellbeing)

Psychosocial FactorsPsychosocial FactorsJob SatisfactionJob SatisfactionHappinessHappinessAttitudes Quality of LifeAttitudes Quality of LifeBeliefsBeliefs Mental stateMental state

Biopsychosocial Model of Disease DevelopmentBiopsychosocial Model of Disease Development

ModifiersModifiersLifestyleLifestyleIndividual susceptibilityIndividual susceptibility

Too Much Psychology in the DiagnosesToo Much Psychology in the Diagnoses

Individual vulnerabilityIndividual vulnerability

Personality typePersonality type

ExperienceExperience

Learned behavioursLearned behaviours

MSDsMSDs

Mental HealthMental HealthSomaticsSomatics

StressStressDistressDistress

Will workers take responsibilityWill workers take responsibilityfor their ill-health?for their ill-health?

Recall ADT?Recall ADT?

Historical Errors of Distress-Related-Ill HealthHistorical Errors of Distress-Related-Ill Health

Historically, distress was “blamed” for many illsHistorically, distress was “blamed” for many ills

Now we know better…Now we know better…

CHD CHD CholeraCholeraPellagraPellagraBeri BeriBeri Beri All believed to beAll believed to beAsthmaAsthma caused by “stress”caused by “stress”Down’s syndromeDown’s syndrome or “distress” at oneor “distress” at oneScurvy Scurvy time or anothertime or anotherYellow feverYellow feverTyphoidTyphoidPeptic ulcerPeptic ulcer

Sir William Beaumont 1832Sir William Beaumont 1832

Puts Puts “blame” “blame”

for for illness illness on the on the

personperson

Benefits of Academic WorkingBenefits of Academic Working

High StatusHigh Status

FlexibilityFlexibility

Understanding employersUnderstanding employers

Physical demands / load lowPhysical demands / load low

Autonomy highAutonomy high

Well payedWell payed

Supportive colleaguesSupportive colleagues

Home-workingHome-working

““Clever people, doing what Clever people, doing what they like to do, and getting they like to do, and getting approval. What could go approval. What could go wrong?”wrong?”

Positive Aspects of Academic WorkPositive Aspects of Academic Work

FlexibilityFlexibility

AutonomyAutonomy

PensionsPensions

Education / Training Education / Training

SupportSupport

AdvancementAdvancement

SecuritySecurity

PerksPerks

Respect Respect

FinancialFinancial

StatusStatus

Reasonable expectations?Reasonable expectations?

Achievable ?Achievable ?

Affordable ?Affordable ?

Dissatisfied workforce?Dissatisfied workforce?

Aggrieved employees?Aggrieved employees?

Unmotivated staff ?Unmotivated staff ?

It could be much worse . . . It could be much worse . . .

Downsides of Academic WorkingDownsides of Academic Working

Career advancement variableCareer advancement variable

No “fixed” hoursNo “fixed” hours

CompetitiveCompetitive

IsolatedIsolated

Psychological demands / load highPsychological demands / load high

Role conflictRole conflict

Role ambiguityRole ambiguity

OvercrowdingOvercrowding

Demand-control model of stress developmentDemand-control model of stress development

lowlow high highjob demandsjob demands

job

co

ntr

ol

job

co

ntr

ol

low

low

hig

h h

igh

low strainlow strain

passivepassive

activeactive

high strainhigh strain

Risk of Risk of psychological psychological strain and strain and increased illnessincreased illness

Productive, Productive, MotivatedMotivated

Karasek 1979

Effort-Reward ImbalanceEffort-Reward Imbalance

Stress is the disparity between what needs to be done (Stress is the disparity between what needs to be done (requiredrequired) and what ) and what can be done (can be done (actualactual))

ProblemsProblems

demandsdemands are not static are not static

abilitiesabilities are not static are not static

howhow to quantify disparity to quantify disparity

meaningfulnessmeaningfulness of any quantification of any quantification

individual modificationindividual modification

requiredrequired

actualactual STRESS!

STRESS!

requiredrequired

actualactualBORED

BORED

requiredrequired

actualactual

Chronic HazardsChronic Hazards

Job contentWork overload / underloadHazardous conditionsUnder utilisation of skillsTime pressuresLack of control

Work organisationShift workWorking hours unsociable long unpredictable

Work CultureCommunication too little (home-working) / too much (email)Change / technologyPoor resourcesNo feedbackNo decision process

Chronic Hazards (cont)Chronic Hazards (cont)

Work roleWork roleAmbiguityAmbiguityConflictConflict

Advancement structureAdvancement structureInsecurityInsecurityPromotionPromotion under and overunder and overLow statusLow statusPoor payPoor pay

EnvironmentEnvironmentHazardsHazards physical / chemicalphysical / chemical

Home – work interfaceHome – work interfaceConflicting demandsConflicting demandsSupportSupportDomestic problemsDomestic problemsCommutingCommuting

Interpersonal ConflictColleagues

SuperiorsSubordinates

Personal IssuesIsolation

Lack of supportHarassment

BullyingViolence

“High EffortLow Reward”“High DemandLow Control”

2x Substance abuse2x Substance abuse

2-3x Injuries2-3x Injuries

2-3x Infections2-3x Infections

3x Back pain3x Back pain

5x 5x CertainCertain cancers cancers

2-3x Conflicts2-3x Conflicts

2-3x2-3xMental health problemsMental health problems

3x3xCardiovascular problemsCardiovascular problems

Health Effects of Stressful Working Health Effects of Stressful Working

Shain & Kramer 2004Shain & Kramer 2004

““Everything at Work is Bad . . .”Everything at Work is Bad . . .”

CommutingCommuting

““Cattle Truck Syndrome”Cattle Truck Syndrome”

Chronic health problems exacerbated Chronic health problems exacerbated by train travel?by train travel?

Cumulative impact theoryCumulative impact theory

Increased B.P, Anxiety, Increased B.P, Anxiety, Chronic Heart ConditionsChronic Heart Conditions

Over-crowded trains / busesOver-crowded trains / busesStraining public transport systemStraining public transport systemLack of controlLack of control

CommutingCommuting

““People develop a constant People develop a constant internal anger on crowded internal anger on crowded trains that they cannottrains that they cannoteasily displace…aneasily displace…anindividual's immune system individual's immune system could also be suppressed could also be suppressed by stress, making passengers by stress, making passengers more susceptible to illnesses”more susceptible to illnesses”

Long Working HoursLong Working Hours

““Workaholism”Workaholism”

Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, UKJapan, South Korea, Indonesia, UK(Karojisatsu)(Karojisatsu)

uninterrupted heavy workload

heavy physical work

excessive demands from irregular overtime and shift work

excessive workloads from emotional stress, such as responsibility, transfers, and conflicts

• irregular sleep habits• decreases in rest• decrease social time• alcohol abuse• increased smoking• unhealthy diet• neglecting medical checks• breakdown in family life

Psychological Boundary Issues: Working hoursPsychological Boundary Issues: Working hours

The “Pillow email”The “Pillow email”

Behavioural Yellow FlagsBehavioural Yellow Flags

Emails consistently sent: Emails consistently sent: • Late at nightLate at night• Early morningEarly morning• At times of distressAt times of distress

Current VW email experiment . . .Current VW email experiment . . .

““Gifted Delicate Genius Syndrome”Gifted Delicate Genius Syndrome”

Struggle with changeStruggle with change

Struggle with personal relationshipsStruggle with personal relationships

Takes failure personallyTakes failure personally

Pessimistic viewPessimistic view

CatastrophizersCatastrophizers

Approval seekingApproval seeking

AvoidantAvoidant

Disordered personalityDisordered personality

SchizotypySchizotypy

Type A perfectionistsType A perfectionists

““Delicate geniuses with no Delicate geniuses with no experience of the real world.”experience of the real world.”

Pros & Cons for Home-Working AcademicsPros & Cons for Home-Working Academics

Functions involved in multi-locational eEmployment in EU (15) (Huws & O’Regan 2001)

Organisational Level Individual Level

Advantages Challenges Advantages Challenges

Greater Productivity Performance Monitoring More autonomy Social Isolation

Lower Absenteeism Performance Measurement Schedule flexibility Professional Isolation

Customer Proximity Managerial Control Office politics absent Organisation Culture

Design of specific posts Synergy Less travel time Reduced office influence

Efficient use of space Informal Interaction Longer hours

Lower costs Organisation Culture Access to resources

Greener improvement Virtual Culture Technical savvy

Attractive employer* Organisation Loyalty Letting oneself “go”

Availability Overdoing it

Schedule Maintenance Pillow emails

Work Coordination Boundary transgressions

Communication

Technology

Guidelines

(Adapted from Kurland & Bailey 1999)

Vocal Hygiene and AcademicsVocal Hygiene and Academics

Golden Age of CommunicationGolden Age of Communication

Most academic jobs have large vocal loadMost academic jobs have large vocal load

Little / no training is givenLittle / no training is given

Vocal load “unaware”Vocal load “unaware”

Equipment modifications requiredEquipment modifications required

Exacerbated by stress, alcohol, increased vocal loadExacerbated by stress, alcohol, increased vocal load

Classroom legal casesClassroom legal cases

The Role of PersonalityThe Role of Personality

A good sign or a bad sign?A good sign or a bad sign?

Personality typePersonality type

Optimism vs PessimismOptimism vs Pessimism

Negative AffectivityNegative Affectivity

HardinessHardiness

Hey. On way home. Left lecture early cos feel like crap. Next time!

Hi Claire. Are you around and do you fancy a brew?

Type A Personality InfluencesType A Personality Influences

PerfectionistsPerfectionists

AchieversAchievers

Approval-seekersApproval-seekers

CompetitiveCompetitive

AmbitionAmbition

DriveDrive

ImpatientImpatient

Sense of urgency (unrealistic)Sense of urgency (unrealistic)

Less able to cope with Less able to cope with loss / absence of loss / absence of

controlcontrol

Other Personality InfluencesOther Personality Influences

Pessimists Pessimists

Negative AffectersNegative Affecters

Hardy / Resilient TypesHardy / Resilient Types

Sees the downside of Sees the downside of all thingsall things

Less likely to be Less likely to be positivepositive

Able to cope with difficultiesAble to cope with difficulties

Less likely to seek helpLess likely to seek help

Previous ExperiencesPrevious Experiences

History of help-seeking when in difficultyHistory of help-seeking when in difficulty

Previous experience of the stressor resulting in distressing / -ve outcomesPrevious experience of the stressor resulting in distressing / -ve outcomes

ExperienceExperience Personality Personality

Learned behavioursLearned behaviours

No universal profile of what always results in stressNo universal profile of what always results in stress

Academic Workplace Future StepsAcademic Workplace Future Steps

Biopsychosocial model – looseness of “diagnoses”Biopsychosocial model – looseness of “diagnoses”

Constant negative “workplace effects” biasConstant negative “workplace effects” bias

Commuting harm (increasing)Commuting harm (increasing)

Longer working hoursLonger working hours

Fatigue (less seep and resting)Fatigue (less seep and resting)

Unpaid overtime needs managingUnpaid overtime needs managing

Control-Demand issuesControl-Demand issues

Effort-Reward imbalance Effort-Reward imbalance

Personality Type – Type A, Approval seeking, NeuroticPersonality Type – Type A, Approval seeking, Neurotic

Organisational Justice needs increasingOrganisational Justice needs increasing

Active Well-being management Active Well-being management