Staff stressors at a developmental center and state hospital

Clinicians and administrators (N = 322) at a large state hospital/developmental center were surveyed regarding stressful experiences at work. A factor analysis of stress reports yielded two underlying constructs: Lack of Administrative Control and Practice-Related Stress. A subsequent regression analysis found that philosophical opposition to behavior therapy significantly predicted job stress. No differences were found between stress levels of staff members who worked with individuals who had mental retardation versus mental illness. Differences existed in reported stress by job categories; nurses, developmental specialists, and psychiatric technicians reported greater job-related stress than did other professional groups. Understanding the nature of job-related stress is necessary for developing stress management programs for in-patient personnel.