PERSONALITY, HEALTH AND JOB STRESS AMONG EMPLOYEES IN A NORWEGIAN PENITENTIARY AND IN A MAXIMUM SECURITY HOSPITAL

Employees at the Broset maximum security hospital and the Tunga penitentiary participated in a study of the psychosocial working environment. The aim of the study was to examine the relation between personality factors and self-reported health status, and the coping strategy that employees had used in a self-chosen stressful situation at work. A total of 122 employees (84%) returned completed questionnaires. Scores were obtained on the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ), Ursin's Health Inventory (UHI), Coopers Job Stress Questionnaire (CJSQ), the Life Experiences Survey (LES), and the Ways of Coping Check-lists (WOCC). The results show that there is a selective recruitment of employees to the two institutions, based on personality characteristics. Broset employees reported a higher level of job stress with respect to issues of leadership, communication and institutional goals. Employees with higher scores in anxiety also reported significantly more job stress and health problems. Employees with lower scores in socialization, scored higher in job stress. There was no association between coping strategies, job stress and personality characteristics.