A MODEL OF JOB STRESS AND PHYSICAL HEALTH - THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES

The causal structure of job stress, satisfaction and individual differ ence variables and their relationship to physical well-being were expl ored. A total of over 500 senior British police officers (ranked Super intendent or above) completed the Occupational Stress Indicator, toget her with a biographic and demographic inventory. The variables 'locus of control' and 'coping' did exert an indirect effect on physical heal th through the mediating influence on job stress and overall job satis faction. Type A behaviour and job stress displayed-in addition to thei r indirect effect-a direct causal impact on physical (ill) health.