Author

Samuel H. Osipow, PhD

Description

The OSI-R is a concise measure of three domains of occupational adjustment: occupational stress, psychological strain, and coping resources. The original research edition of the OSI was designed to (a) develop an integrated theoretical model to link these three important dimensions, and (b) develop generic occupational stress measures that would apply across different occupational levels and environments. This revision, appropriate for ages 18 years and older, provides normative data for both gender and specific occupational categories (i.e. executive, professional, technical, administrative support, public service/safety, and agricultural/production/labourer). It also includes modifications to several original OSI items and generates new items for each of the three domains. A number of correlational and multivariate studies using the OSI provide evidence of the relationship among stress, strain and coping.

OSI-R Scales Assess Three Dimensions of Occupational Adjustment

• Occupational stress is measured by a set of six scales that comprise the Occupational Roles Questionnaire (ORQ). The ORQ scales measure the following stress-inducing work roles: Role Overload, Role Insufficiency, Role Ambiguity, Role Boundary, Responsibility and Physical Environment.
• Psychological strain is measured by a set of four scales that comprise the Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ scales reflect affective responses in four major categories: Vocational Strain, Psychological Strain, Interpersonal Strain and Physical Strain.
• Coping resources are measured by four scales that comprise the Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ): Recreation, Self-Care, Social Support and Rational/Cognitive Coping.

The OSI-R test materials include an Item Booklet, a Hand-scorable Answer Sheet, and two types of Profile Forms. The Gender-Specific profile form has a male profile grid on one side and a female profile grid on the other. The generic profile form may be used with T scores from the total normative sample (N = 983) or from one of the specific occupational groups. The Professional Manual provides information on test development and validation; test administration, scoring, and interpretation; and research studies using both the original and the revised OSI. Three composite case studies illustrate appropriate uses of the instrument to assess occupational stress, personal strain, and/or current coping resources.

The OSI-R is suitable for a number of important mental health applications:

• Individual screening may provide information about the work roles that are producing the individual’s stress in order to help them develop coping strategies.
• Organisational/occupational assessment may help to identify the sources of stress and the symptoms of strain prevalent in a specific occupational unit or group.
• Programs for employee assistance and counselling may utilise the results of the OSI-R to help the individual understand the sources of their occupational stress.
• Career counselling may help an employee to either adjust to the present situation or change to a more appropriate position.
• The OSI-R may serve as a reliable and consistent outcome measure to establish the effectiveness of individual or organisational interventions.

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