Stress reactions in organizations: Syndromes, causes and consequences

Abstract

This study examines the prevalence, causes, and consequences of stress reactions among over 2000 high status members of a large organization in Canada. Five stress syndromes were identified: emotional distress, medication use, cardiovascular disturbance, gastrointestinal disturbance, and allergy respiratory disturbance. The study demonstrates the effects of sociocultural variables on selected stress responses to compare typical symptoms of French vs. English Canadians, and in demographic variables such as age and sex as reflections of stages in the life cycle. Once the sociocultural and demographic effects were isolated, the study revealed a major occupational effect in the distribution of stress syndromes. Managers compared with staff and operations people show a low prevalence of stress reactions. The explanation of this finding led to the evaluation of four possible causes: the maturity effect, the vulnerability effect, the bureaucratic effect, and the power effect. The first two causes assume the objective stressors in the environment are about the same for all occupational groups in the study and the variations in symptoms result from major personality factors held in common among the occupational groups. The second two causes assume that the variations in symptoms result from major differences in the environments of the three occupational groups. Analysis suggests that psychodynamic factors affect the tolerance for stress and the choice of syndrome. The environment, particularly the frustrations and deprivations associated with bureaucracy and the lack of power, activates the defenses against anger and rage that in turn lead to symptom formation. The study concludes with the paradox of the bureaucratic experience. Designed to minimize the uses of power in negotiating work procedures and relationships, bureaucracy requires the mobilization and uses of power to, at a minimum, reduce the risks of falling ill from frustration and anger and, at a maximum, to sense one's impact on events.