Negative emotionality, activity, and sociability temperaments predicting long-term job strain and effort–reward imbalance: A 15-year prospective follow-up study

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study examined a longitudinal association between innate temperament and perceptions of long-term work stressors. MethodsThe sample consisted of 276 men and 345 women (aged 30–45years in 2007) participating in the prospective population-based Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns study. In 1992, temperament was self-assessed with the EAS questionnaire that assesses three temperamental traits: negative emotionality, activity, and sociability. Perceived work stressors were measured in 2001 and in 2007 using two models: Karasek's demand/control-model in which a combination of high demands and low control results in job strain, and Siegrist's Effort–reward imbalance (ERI) model. ResultsThe results showed that higher negative emotionality and lower sociability systematically predicted higher perceived job strain and ERI (P<.001). Activity predicted higher perceived ERI (P<.05). Activity did not predict perceived job strain, as it was related to both higher perceived demands and higher control. ConclusionsThe results suggest that temperament may be a predisposing factor to the experiences of work stressors in adulthood. Although self-reported job strain and ERI are measures of job characteristics, they are affected by individual temperament.