The scale and application of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals in Chengdu and Chongqing area

Abstract

To establish the scale of the norm of occupational stress on the professionals and put it into practice. T scores were linear transformations of raw scores, derived to have a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 10. The scale standard of the norm was formulated in line with the principle of normal distribution. (1) For the occupational role questionnaire (ORQ) and personal strain questionnaire (PSQ) scales, high scores suggested significant levels of occupational stress and psychological strain, respectively. T scores >/= 70 indicated a strong probability of maladaptive stress, debilitating strain, or both. T scores in 60 approximately 69 suggested mild levels of maladaptive stress and strain, and in 40 approximately 59 were within one standard deviation of the mean and should be interpreted as being within normal range. T scores < 40 indicated a relative absence of occupational stress or psychological strain. For the personal resources questionnaire (PRQ) scales, high scores indicated highly developed coping resources. T scores < 30 indicated a significant lack of coping resources. T scores in 30 approximately 39 suggested mild deficits in coping skills, and in 40 approximately 59 indicated average coping resources, where as higher scores (i.e., >/= 60) indicated increasingly strong coping resources. (2) This study provided raw score to T-score conversion tables for each OSI-R scale for the total normative sample as well as for gender, and several occupational groups, including professional engineer, professional health care, economic business, financial business, law, education and news. OSI-R profile forms for total normative samples, gender and occupation were also offered according to the conversion tables. The norm of occupational stress can be used as screening tool, organizational/occupational assessment, guide to occupational choice and intervention measures.