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The role of work-stress appraisals among female clerical workers Morris, Jodi E.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of appraisal in the stress and coping process by examining both antecedents and consequences of appraisals from the perspective of a transactional model of stress (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Analyses were conducted on a sample of female clerical workers (Study 1; N = 215) and partially replicated on a second sample (Study 2; N = 201). Hierarchical multiple regression analyses (HMRs) were conducted to examine the relationship between personal resources (e.g., optimism, selfefficacy), social resources (e.g., social support, supervisor support) and work-stress appraisals (primary and secondary appraisals), as well as between appraisals and depression. Study 2 expanded on Study 1 in that the effects of negative affectivity (NA) were controlled for in HMRs predicting appraisals. In addition, the effects of NA and initial levels of depression were controlled for in HMRs predicting depression. In both studies appraisals accounted for a significant amount of the variance in depression scores beyond that accounted for by demographics and resources; and in Study 2, NA and initial levels of depression. Results offer weak to modest support for the role of appraisals as suggested in Lazarus and Folkman's model, implications for theory and counselling practice are discussed.

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