Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Barriers to Work Stress: II. The Hardy Personality

  • Chapter
Behavioral Medicine: Work, Stress and Health

Part of the book series: NATO Science Series D: (closed) ((ASID,volume 19))

Abstract

Business executives, lawyers, and U.S. Army officers have at least three things in common: (a) they are subjected to significant numbers of stressful life events in their work, (b)many members of each occupational group remain mentally and physically healthy in the face of even high stress levels, and (c) their health is explained, in part, by their characteristic personality styles which interact with other stress-resistance resources to buffer the negative impact of stressful life events. These are the general conclusions of a series of stress studies conducted on different occupational groups. All were guided by the question: How is it that some persons do not get sick following their encounter with frequent and serious life stresses? Each professional group provided a complementary but slightly different answer emphasizing personality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Altekruse, E.G. and J.H. Wilmore. Changes in Blood Chemistries Following a Controlled Exercise Program. Journal of Occupational Medicine 15 (1973) 110 – 113.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Antonovsky, A. Health, Stress, and Coping. ( Washington, Jossey-Bass, 1979 ).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Averill, J.R. Personal Control Over Adversive Stimuli and Its Relationship to Stress. Psychological Bulletin 80 286–303.

    Google Scholar 

  4. Barry, K.H. and P.A. Connelly. Research on Law Students: An Annotated Bibliography. American Bar Foundation Research Journal 4 (1978) 751 – 804.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Burnet, M. Genes, Dreams, and Realities. ( New York, Basic Books, 1971 ).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cobb, S. Social Support as a Moderator of Life Stress. Psychosomatic Medicine 38 (1976) 300 – 314.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Coehlo, G.V., D.A. Hamburg, and J.F. Adams (Eds.). Coping and Adaptation. ( New York, Basic Books, 1974 )

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cohen, F. and R.S. Lazarus. Coping with the Stresses of Illness. In G. Ston, F. Cohen, N.E. Adler & Associates. (Eds.) Health Psychology: A Handbook. (Washington, Jossey-Bass, 1979 ).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Dohrenwend, B.P. Stressful Life Events and Psyehopathology: Some Issues of Theory and Method. In J.E. Barrett et al. (Eds.). Stress and Mental Disorder. (New York, Raven Press, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dohrenwend, B.S. & B.P. Dohrenwend (Eds.) Stressful Life Events: Their Nature and Effects. (New York, Wiley & Sons, 1974 ).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dohrenwend, B.S., A.R. Krasnoff, A.R. Askenasy and B.P. Dohrenwend. Exemplification of a Method for Scaling Life Events: The PERI Life-Events Scale. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 19 (1978) 205 – 229.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. French, J.R.P., Jr. Person Role Fit. Occupational Mental Health 3 (1973) 15 – 20.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Friedman, M., R.H. Roseman and V. Carroll. Changes in the Serum Cholesterol and Blood Clotting Time in Men Subjected to Cyclic Variation of Occupational Stress. Circulation 17 (1958) 852 – 861.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Gergen, K.J. and S. Morse. Self-consistency: Measurement and Validation. Proceedings of the 75th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association 2 (1967) 207 – 208.

    Google Scholar 

  15. Glass, D.C., J.E. Singer, L.N. Friedman. Psychic Cost of Adaptation to an Environment Stressor. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 12 (1969) 200 – 210.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Gore, S. The effect of Social Support in Moderating the health Consequences of Unemployment. Journal of Health and Social Behavior 19 (1978) 157 – 165.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hahn, M.E. California Life Goals Evaluation Schedule. ( Palo Alto, Western Psychological Services, 1966 ).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Holmes, T.H. and M. Asuda. Life Change and Illness Susceptibility. In B.S. Dohrenwend & B.P. Dohrenwend (Eds.) Stressful Life Events: Their Nature and Effects. ( New York, Wiley & Sons, 1974 ).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Holmes, T.H. and R.H. Rahe. The Social Readjustment Rating Scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 11 (1967) 213 – 218.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Insull, W. (Ed.) Coronary Risk Handboo. ( New York, American Heart Association, 1973 ).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jackson, D.N. Personality Research Form Manual. (Goshen, New York, Research Psychologists Press, 1974 ).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Johnson, J.H. and I.G. Sarason. Life Stress, Depression, and Anxiety: Internal-External Control as a Moderator Variable. Journal of Psychosomatic Research (1978) 205 – 208.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Katz, D. and R.L. Kahn (Eds.). The Social Psychology of Organizations ( New York, Wiley & Sons, 1978 ).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Kobasa, S.C. Stress Life Events, Personality, and Health: An Inquiry into Hardiness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37 (1979) 1 – 11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kobasa, S.C. Commitment and Coping in Stress Resistance Among Lawyers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1981) in press.

    Google Scholar 

  26. Kobasa, S.C. and S.R. Maddi. Existential Personality Theory: In R. Corsini (Ed.) Current personality theories. Itasca, Illinois, Peacock Publishers, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Kobasa, S.C., S.R. Maddi and S. Courington. Personality and Constitution as Medicators in the Stress-Illness Relationship.

    Google Scholar 

  28. 28.Kobasa, S.C., S.R. Maddi and S. Kahn. Hardiness and Health: A Prospective Study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (1981) in press.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Lefcourt, H.M. Locus of Control: Current Trends in Theory and Research. (Hillsdale, New Jersey, Lawrence Erlbaum, 1978 ).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Luborsky, L., T.C. Todd, and A.H. Katchen. A Self-Administered Social Assets Scale for Predicting Physical and Psychological Illness and Health. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 17 (1973) 109 – 120.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Maddi, S.R., S.C. Kobasa, and M. Hoover. An Alienation Test. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 19 (1979) 73 – 76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Mechanic, D and E. Volkart. Stress, Illness Behavior, and Sick Role. American Sociological Review 26 (1961) 51 – 58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Moos, R.H., P.M. Insel, and B. Humphrey. Family, Work, and Group Environment Scales Manual. (Palo Alto, California, Consulting Psychologists Press, 1974 ).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Moss, G.E. Illness, Immunity, and Social Interaction. ( New York, Wiley & Sons, 1973 ).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Ouchi, W. Theory Z: How American Business Can Meet the Japanese Challenge. ( New York, Addison-Wesley, 1981 ).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Paffenberger, R.S., Jr., Wing, A.L. and R.T. Hyde. Physical Activity as an Index of Heart Attack Risk in College Alumni. American Journal of Epidemiology 108 (1978) 161 – 175.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Pipkin, R.M. Legal Education: The Consumers’ Perspective. American Bar Foundation Research Journal 4 (1976) 1161 – 1192.

    Google Scholar 

  38. Rabkin, J.G. and E.L. Struening. Life Events, Stress, and Illness. Science 194 (1976) 1013 – 1020.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Rahe, R.H. The Pathway Between Subjects’ Recent Life Changes and the Near-Future Illness Reports. In B.S. Dohrenwend and B.P. Dohrenwend (Eds.) Stressful Life events: Their Nature and Effects. ( New York, Wiley & Sons, 1974 ).

    Google Scholar 

  40. Rodin, J. and E.J. Langer. The Effects of Choice and Enhance Personal Responsibility for the Aged: A Field Experiment in an Institutional Setting. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 34 (1976) 191 – 198.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Rotter, J.B., M. Seeman and S. Liverant. Internal vs. External Locus of Control of Reinforcement: A Major Variable in Behavior Therapy. In N.R. Washburne (Ed.) Decisions, Values and Groups. ( London, Pergamon, 1962 ).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Russek, H.J. Emotional Stress and Coronary Heart Disease in American Physicians. American Journal of Medicine and Science 243 (1962) 716 – 721.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Seligman, M.E.P. Helplessness. ( San Francisco: Freeman, 1975 ).

    Google Scholar 

  44. Shils, E. and M. Janowitz. Cohesion and Disintegration in the Wehrmacht in World Ware II. Public Opinion Quarterly 12 (1948) 280 – 315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Smith, R.E., J.H. Johnson, and I.G. Sarason. Life Change, the Sensation Seeking Motive, and Psychological Distress. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 46 (1978) 348 – 349.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Weiner, H. Psychobiology & human Diease.(N.Y., Elsevier,1977).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Wolfe, S.W. Avoid Sickness — How Life Changes Affect Your Health. Family Circle. May (1972) pp. 30; 166–170.

    Google Scholar 

  48. Wyler, A.R., M. Masuda and T.H. Holmes. Seriousness of Illness Rating Scale. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 11 (1968) 363 – 375.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Suzanne C. Kobasa

Authors
  1. Suzanne C. Kobasa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Psychological Associates of Lynchburg, Lynchburg, 24502, VA, USA

    W. Doyle Gentry PhD

  2. Department of Behavioral Medicine & Psychiatry, University of Virginia, USA

    W. Doyle Gentry PhD

  3. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Hospital, USA

    Herbert Benson MD

  4. Workgroup on Psychology of Work and Organization, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Charles J. de Wolff (Director) (Director)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1985 Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kobasa, S.C. (1985). Barriers to Work Stress: II. The Hardy Personality. In: Gentry, W.D., Benson, H., de Wolff, C.J. (eds) Behavioral Medicine: Work, Stress and Health. NATO Science Series D: (closed), vol 19. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5179-2_9

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-5179-2_9

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8792-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-5179-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation