A Longitudinal Evaluation of Strain, Work Engagement, and Intervention Strategies to Address the Health of High-Risk Employees

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Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Psychology
Griffith Health
Numerous theoretical perspectives have been proposed to describe the aetiology of occupational stress, and decades of empirical research have demonstrated its associations with various work and individual characteristics. Furthermore, the high individual, organisational, and societal costs of occupational stress are well documented. Theoretical and practical implications of this research have been limited, however, due to the reliance on cross-sectional, non-experimental designs and the pathogenic focus of occupational health research. Drawing on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model (Demerouti, Bakker, Nachreiner, & Schaufeli, 2001), this research aimed to investigate longitudinal associations amongst job demands, job resources, coping, engagement, work-related burnout, and psychological strain. A stress management intervention designed to reduce strain and promote engagement specifically within a high-stress occupation (corrective services employees) was also evaluated. Therefore, this research addressed the dearth of evaluations of the longitudinal stress process, positive well-being outcomes (engagement), and stress management interventions.