[Psychological counseling as a management of stress in work place]

We have made psychological counseling service a part of a mental health program for 10,700 employees since 1980. Our counseling method is based on a psychological stress model and divided into three steps. The first is psychological stress survey by means of the Job Stress Scale (JSS). JSS was administered to a group of about 500 employees. The result of the JSS is reported to each employee by in-house letter. The second is a substructured interview for maladjusted employees found in JSS psychological stress reactions scores. The interviewer explains each of the JSS sub-scales such as job stressors, coping strategies, social support, and psychological stress reactions to interviewees. The last is psychological counseling. Counselees are chosen by the interviewer according to the following conditions: 1) request for counseling, 2) need for psychiatric treatment, 3) strong psychological stress reactions in spite of low job stressors, 4) signs of family problems. These four steps may decrease an employee's resistance to counseling.