Temporal and energetic characteristics of behavior predicting long-term job strain, job demands, and job control: a population-based study.

Objective: To examine whether temporal and energetic characteristics of behavior contribute to perceived job strain and its components.
Methods: There were 611 participants (273 men) aged 30 to 45 years. Temperament traits were measured by Strelau's Formal Characteristics of Behavior-Temperament Inventory in 1997 and 2001. Job characteristics, education, and occupation were reported in 2001 and 2007.
Results: We found that higher emotional reactivity and perseveration, and lower briskness, endurance, and activity, predicted higher long-term perceived job strain in men and women. Higher job demands were predicted by lower endurance, higher emotional reactivity, and higher perseveration. Higher long-term job control was predicted by higher briskness, endurance, activity, and lower perseveration and emotional reactivity.
Conclusions: Being emotionally highly reactive and having a persevering temperament may increase the likelihood of high job strain, whereas having a brisk, enduring, and active temperament may decrease it.