Questions about the causes or sources of work stress have been the subject of considerable research, as well
as public fascination, for several decades. Earlier interest in this issue focused on the question of whether
some jobs are simply more inherently stressful than others. Other questions that soon emerged asked whether some
individuals were more prone to stress than others. The Handbook of Work Stress focuses primarily on identifying
the different sources of work stress across different contexts and individuals.
Part I focuses on work stressors that have been studied for decades (e.g., organizational-role stressors, work
schedules) as well as stressors that have received less empirical and public scrutiny (e.g., industrial-relations
stress, organizational politics). It also addresses stressors in the workplace that have become relevant more
recently (e.g., terrorism).
Part II of the Handbook covers issues related to gender, cultural or national origin, older and younger workers,
and employment status, and asks how these characteristics might affect the experience of workplace stress.
The adverse consequences of these diverse work stressors are manifold, and questions about the possible health
consequences of work stressors were one of the major historical factors prompting early interest and research on
work stress. In Part III, the individual and organizational consequences of work stress are considered in separate
chapters.
Key Features:
* Affords the most broad and credible perspective on the subject of work stress available
* The editors are all prominent researchers in the field of workstress, and have been instrumental in defining
and developing the field from an organizational-psychological and organizational-behavior perspective
* International contributors are included, reflecting similarities and differences from around the world
* Chapter authors from the United States, Canada, England, Sweden, Japan, and Australia have been invited to
participate, reflecting most of the countries in which active research on work stress is taking place
The Handbook of Work Stress is essential reading for researchers in the fields of industrial and organizational
psychology, human resources, health psychology, public health, and employee assistance.