TYPE-A AND TYPE-B BEHAVIORS, WORK STRESSORS, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT AT WORK

Background How Type A personality is related to the stress process has been investigated. However, in the occupational health held, stressfu l aspects of the work environment for Type A or B workers have not bee n fully revealed. Methods. In the present study, using signal detectio n analysis, we analyzed data concerning work stressors and social supp ort (SS) at work among Japanese white-collar workers (n = 560) and ide ntified the respective aspects of work that are stressful for Type A a nd B workers. We also evaluated the interactions of SS at work and str essor variables among Type A and B workers, individually. Results. Exc ept for one significant predictor, i.e., being unable to learn new thi ngs at work, the significant predictors of mental stress were generall y quite different for Type A and B workers. Specifically, SS from mana gement was a cause of mental stress for certain groups of Type A worke rs. Conclusions. It was revealed that the stressful aspects of work en vironment varied markedly in accord with the Type A vs Type B personal ity status of the subjects. The results also implied that even support from management can be stressful for Type A workers who had heavy wor kloads. The present study used specific measures sensitive to individu al stressors and identified specific subgroups with the same work stre ssors. The findings provide information that is useful for stress redu ction intervention. (C) 1997 Academic Press.