Occupational stress, personal strain, and coping among residents and faculty members

Differences in ratings by 155 individuals at four levels of medical experience (faculty members and first-, second-, and third-year residents) on measures of occupational stress, personal strain, and availability of coping resources were examined. Multivariate and univariate analyses of data indicated significant differences in the measures among the experience levels. Measures of the availability of coping resources reflected the major source of differences, with the first-year residents reporting significantly fewer overall coping resources than faculty members. No significant differences were detected among the four groups on overall measures of occupational stress and personal strain. There were differences between first-year residents and faculty members on the subscales measuring physical environment stress, physical strain, recreation, and self-care. The findings suggest that residency education interferes with first-year residents' abilities to cope and places their physical well-being at risk. The findings support the need for residents to employ coping strategies during the residency years and provide empirical guidance regarding the kind of coping strategies needed.