THE EFFECTS OF PROFESSIONAL-TRAINING ON OCCUPATIONAL STRESS AND PERSONAL AFFECT IN REHABILITATION PRACTITIONERS

An exploratory analysis was conducted to determine whether a professio nal training program for rehabilitation practitioners that focused on core skills and competencies, might have some beneficial effects on pe rceived levels of job related stress and tension, and feelings of posi tive and negative affect. Results of the analysis indicated that train ing participants showed significant improvements in perceptions of job stress, tension, and positive affect compared with a group of control respondents who did not take part in the training. There were no diff erences between the groups in terms of changes in negative affect. Pro blems and limitations of the study are addressed and the importance of further understanding of the complex dynamics of job stress in rehabi litation professionals is emphasized.