Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

The Trier Social Stress Test Protocol for Inducing Psychological Stress
Published on: October 19, 2011
Stress among package truck drivers
P Orris1, D E Hartman, P Strauss
1Illinois Health Hazard Evaluation Program, Great Lakes Center for Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health, University of Illinois, Chicago School of Public Health, USA. porris@uic.edu
Abstract:
In 1992, a cross-sectional questionnaire study of package truck drivers in one company was conducted at four widely scattered sites throughout the US; 317 drivers participated, representing 82% of those eligible. The package truck drivers scored significantly above the US working population comparison norm on all summary and individual scales derived from the SCL 90-R, indicating a substantial increase in psychologic distress for this group. The Global Severity Index, the best single summary measure of psychological distress in the SCL 90-R, revealed a mean T score for the drivers of 64.20, 91st percentile of the normative population. The group perceived significantly more daily stressful events than the average working adult, and their sensitivity to these events was also increased. Role overload, a component of the Occupational Stress Inventory, was the most consistent factor associated with symptoms of psychological distress on multiple regression analysis. This study suggests that job stress is a psychological health hazard for these drivers.
Related Concept Videos
Thermal Stress
Stress: General Loading Conditions
The shearing force, possessing potential directionality within the plane of the section, is simplified into two component forces running parallel to the x and y axes.
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Types of Stressors
Catastrophes
Catastrophes refer to large-scale, unpredictable events that create overwhelming stress and a sense of threat. Examples include natural disasters like...
Psychological Responses to Stress
Stress and Mental Health
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...

