Eustress and Distress Climates in Teams: Patterns and Outcomes

• Published in: International journal of stress management 2015-02, Vol.22 (1), p.1-23
• Main Authors: Kozusznik, Malgorzata Wanda, Rodríguez, Isabel, Peiró, José María
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Distress; Human; Stress; Teams; Well Being; Work Teams; Working Conditions
• ISSN: 1072-5245; 1573-3424
• DOI: 10.1037/a0038581

The present study analyzes stress climates at work and individual outcomes over time for team members working in different types of climate. Stress climate emerges when the members of a particular group share perceptions about certain events and contexts as a source of distress and/or eustress. By applying cluster analysis to 535 social service employees working in 78 teams in service organizations, 3 types of climate were identified: distressed (predominance of distress appraisal), eustressed (predominance of eustress appraisal), and balanced (similar level of distress and eustress appraisals). Clusters were validated in a new related sample (431 employees working in 43 teams). The levels of exhaustion differed significantly between the distressed and eustressed climates, whereas the levels of vigor and dedication differed significantly between the balanced and distressed climates. Over time, exhaustion significantly decreased in teams where the climate changed over time from distressed to eustressed. In the teams where the stress climate changed from balanced to distressed, there was a significant increase in the level of inefficacy and a significant decrease in the level of vigor. There was also a significant increase in cynicism and a significant decrease in vigor in teams where the climate remained eustressed. The importance of the shared appraisal of stress and the implications of the results for effective interventions are discussed.