Cross-sectional data were collected from 174 Scottish health care workers on a wide range of factors including neuroticism, sources of occupational stress. and outcome (GHQ-28 and job dissatisfaction). In the tint analysis, neuroticism was partialled out of the stmsor-outcome relationships. In the second, a range of variables. each residualised for neuroticism, was regressed onto both outcome variables. In both cases, sources of stress were shown to relate to outcome irrespective of neuroticism. In particular, those who experienced more pressure of work experienced more symptoms of distress, irrespective not only of neuroticism but also of age. social support at work, ways of coping with work-related problems, job satisfaction and social desirability. The results were discussed mainly in relation to methodological issues. It was concluded that the potentially contaminating effects of neuroticism can be controlled to some extent in a cross-sectional study.