Coping With Work Stress: A Review and Critique highlights the most up-to-date research relating to effective coping strategies of individuals and organizations and provides a series of invaluable "best practice" techniques for dealing with the growing epidemic of stress and lack of overall well-being at work.

1 Work stress and coping: Setting the scene. The term 'stress'. The costs of stress. Sickness absence. Labour turnover. Presenteeism. Work and mental health generally. The changing work context and work stressors. Work stressors: Some issues. Changing work stressors. 2 Coping: The measurement debate. A history and some definitional issues surrounding coping. Defi ning coping and definitional issues. The measurement of coping. Coping checklists. Classifying coping and creating scales. 3 New directions for coping research. New developments in appraisal. The infl uence of positive psychology. From positive psychology to proactive coping. Other developments in coping. Progress towards understanding coping effectiveness. From stress to emotions to positive emotions and coping. 4 Coping with specific work-related stressors. Types of coping. Coping with work stressors. Coping strategies used by specific occupational groups. Future directions in research on coping with specific work stressors. 5 Coping with work–life conflict. Social support. Personal control. Personal coping strategies. Organizational strategies to ameliorate work–life conflict. Conclusions. 6 Stress management interventions. Conceptual framework for stress management interventions. Evaluating stress management interventions. Factors infl uencing the effectiveness of stress management interventions. Some guidelines for effective interventions. Conclusions. 7 Coping with work stress: An agenda for the future. Continuing debates: Emerging context. Building a future research agenda from the themes of the past. The characteristics of coping and coping types. Assessment of coping behaviours. Coping styles versus coping strategies. The role of meaning in coping research. Coping effectiveness. Personal coping versus organizational stress management interventions. From stress to well-being. Conclusions. References. Index.

Coping with Work Stress highlights the most up-to-date research relating to coping strategies of individuals and organizations, and provides a series of invaluable ‘best practice’ techniques for dealing with the growing epidemic of stress and lack of overall well-being at work. The authors – renowned experts in the field – offer carefully considered critical reviews of issues surrounding the latest work stress and coping studies, and identify several new strategic pathways to stimulate future research. With the insidious effects of workplace stress fully acknowledged and well-documented, Coping with Work Stress takes an important next step by providing coping techniques for improving the health and well-being of organizations and individuals alike.

"Richly referenced to open further research and understanding, this book is an amazing and indispensable study of a difficult working condition. It is hoped that it will receive a wide circulation in every industry whose workforce is at risk of neglected work stress." (RoSPA Occupational Safety & Health Journal, 1 July 2011) "Dewe (organizational behavior, U. of London, UK) et al. review issues surrounding work stress and coping research, what is needed to sustain this research, and possible new coping strategies for individuals and organizations to use when dealing with work stress and improving health and well-being." (Reference and Research Book News, February 2011)

With the growing epidemic of stress and the lack of overall well-being at work, Coping with Work Stress could not have come at a better time! The authors, all experts on the topics of stress and coping, cover the basic concepts and measurement issues associated with stress and its many negative symptoms and then offer many excellent and useable suggestions about how individuals and organizations can better cope with stress to help reduce those symptoms. Overall, a highly readable and important book on stress and coping that is a must for everyone.’ —Professor Randall S. Schuler, Rutgers University, USA “In Coping with Work Stress, Philip Dewe, Michael O'Driscoll and Cary Cooper provide an excellent review of the literature in this field, highlighting areas of debate and their possible resolution. A must-read for researchers, as it provides opportunities for advancing the quality of coping studies in the workplace. Their linking of personal coping with organizational-level interventions, and their emphasis on positive outcomes as well as illness, have important individual and organizational health implications as well.” —Ronald J. Burke, Professor Emeritus, York University, Canada