A Revised Ecological Model of Occupational Stress: Applications to 9-1-1 Telecommunicators

Author ORCID Identifier

Michelle Lilly:https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4417-8164

Publication Title

Workplace Health and Safety

ISSN

21650799

E-ISSN

44032

Document Type

Article

Abstract

Background: A cohesive body of scientific evidence has documented the adverse impacts of occupational stress on worker health and safety and, to a lesser extent, on organizational outcomes. How such adverse impacts may be prevented and/or ameliorated are important to understand, but progress has been limited due to the lack of a robust and comprehensive theoretical model of occupational stress. Methods: Building on a review of existing theoretical models of occupational stress and an ecological framework, a multilevel conceptual model of occupational stress and strain is proposed that identifies various and potentially interacting sources of occupational stressors as well as potential protective factors. Results: The revised ecological model proposed herein embraces a broad conceptualization of outcomes and includes an individual worker, work unit (team) performance as well as organizational level outcomes; for example, resilience/dysfunction. Conclusion/Application to Practice: This model provides occupational health nurses with an improved understanding of occupational and worker health as well as guidance in developing targeted interventions and generating new lines of occupational stress research.

First Page

460

Last Page

467

Publication Date

10-1-2020

DOI

10.1177/2165079920934316

PubMed ID

32689921

Keywords

9-1-1 telecommunicators, ecological model, emergency response, leadership, management, occupational stress

Department

Department of Psychology

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