Insulators against stress: self-esteem and assertiveness.

Abstract

Self-esteem and assertiveness were examined as personal attributes which insulate firefighters from high occupational stress. The personal stress of 106 firemen ranked from firefighter to battalion chief was assessed using self-report measures of somatic stress symptoms, trait anxiety, and occupational stress. The stress measures were highly correlated and reflected a generalized stress reaction. Stress did not vary with length of time on the job, age, rank, or factors in the personal lives of employees such as marital status, marital satisfaction, income, or the number of children. However, path analysis indicated that self-esteem and assertiveness were significantly inversely related to stress, with assertiveness contributing to self-esteem and self-esteem being directly related to stress.