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The present study analyzed experimentally the association between the experience of psychological stress and the physiological stress response of prospective teachers. The experienced stress was assessed by self-reported data. Cortisol concentrations via saliva samples reflected the physiological response. The results show no difference between the stress and the control group in the experience of psychological stress. However, the stress group had significantly increased cortisol concentrations compared to the control group. The study could not show any correlation between the two stress parameters. The results suggest that a stress response should be validated based not only on the experience of psychological stress but also on the physiological stress response. This is particularly crucial in light of the fact that the majority of studies concerning stress in teachers are limited to experiences of psychological stress so far. Due to this, the results may provide a first important contribution to a more comprehensive stress assessment for teachers.

This paper considers problems in the conceptualization and operationalization of four concepts in occupational stress research: stress, strain, coping behavior, and coping style. The paper argues that a lack of conceptual and operational clarity in each of these areas has led to confusion in both the conduct and the interpretation of occupational stress and coping research, citing examples from the literature to support and illustrate this argument, as well as re-analyzing previous research. Recommendations are made for future research methodology which may overcome or limit some of the conceptual and operational problems examined.

Abstract. This paper provides an overview about research activities related to stress in children and adolescents at the University of Bielefeld. In this context, two stress prevention programs related to (a) elementary school children and (b) adolescents of grades 8 and 9 were developed and evaluated. The program evaluations compared different program versions and showed favourable results for problem solving, while program versions focusing on relaxation training were less effective. This was the reason to evaluate the effects of relaxation training in children and adolescents more systematically. Different relaxation techniques were compared with providing non-tension producing stories to children and adolescents. The results showed clear short-term effects of relaxation training, although this effect was also produced by non-tension producing stories. The use of additional e-learning units is addressed in the final parts of the paper as a way of increasing the motivation of adolescents to participate in stress prevention training.

A growing number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of worksite stress management training for reducing worker psychophysiological arousal and subjective reports of anxiety, depression, and somatic complaints. The role of stress management in the larger context of occupational stress reduction, however, has not been addressed. An application of stress management as one component of an organisational stressor reduction programme is described. Other components in the process which have been completed include the formation of a stress reduction committee and conduct of a stress assessment survey. Future plans include the formulation and implementation of recommendations for reducing organisational stress and repeated evaluations of their efficacy. The purpose is to depict element of the overall process and to report progress to date in this effort.

Abstract. The brain and peripheral bodily organs continuously exchange information. Exemplary, interoception refers to the processing and perception of ascending information from the body to the brain. Stress responses involve a neurobehavioral cascade, which includes the activation of peripheral organs via neural and endocrine pathways and can thus be seen as an example for descending information on the brain-body axis. Hence, the interaction of interoception and stress represents bi-directional communication on the brain-body axis. The main hypothesis underlying this review is that the dysregulation of brain-body communication represents an important mechanism for the generation of physical symptoms in stress-related disorders. The aims of this review are, therefore, (1) to summarize current knowledge on acute stress effects on different stages of interoceptive signal processing, (2) to discuss possible patterns of abnormal brain-body communication (i.e., alterations in interoception and physiological stress axes activation) in mental disorders and chronic physical conditions, and (3) to consider possible approaches to modify interoception. Due to the regulatory feedback loops underlying brain-body communication, the modification of interoceptive processes (ascending signals) may, in turn, affect physiological stress axes activity (descending signals), and, ultimately, also physical symptoms.

PurposeThe public management and the occupational stress literatures are both silent on stressors associated with the work of government policy advisors. This paper aims to fill that gap with an exploratory study to identify the potential work stressors for this occupation.Design/methodology/approachIn‐depth interviews with 13 policy advisors/managers in a single government department and a focus group with 11 policy managers from 11 government departments are reported.FindingsThe stressors experienced can be clustered under the well accepted labels of role overload, control, culture, and interpersonal relationships. However, results indicate that the practical reality of these stressors in public sector policy advice environments is different from the generic concepts associated with the labels.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper underlines the importance of occupation‐specific understanding of stressors, and has implications at a workplace level for human resource management, and at an analytical level for the public management, policy and occupational stress literatures. Fruitful areas for future study include deeper exploration of qualitative role overload, examining how and why advisory roles proliferate, and how resulting stress levels affect performance.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights tensions for public sector managers in meeting obligations to protect the health and safety of their employees, while also placing top priority on serving the minister and government of the day.Originality/valueThe paper provides new insight to the stressors in public sector policy environments, and alerts public sector managers to key factors in managing policy unit performance and well‐being.