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Work stress, job satisfaction and emotional well‐being among Canadian dental assistants
Author(s) -
Locker David
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
community dentistry and oral epidemiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.061
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1600-0528
pISSN - 0301-5661
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0528.1996.tb00830.x
Subject(s) - denial , job satisfaction , medicine , emotional distress , distress , work (physics) , well being , job attitude , clinical psychology , social psychology , psychology , job performance , anxiety , psychiatry , mechanical engineering , psychoanalysis , engineering , psychotherapist
Although dentistry is considered to be a stressful occupation, few data exist on work stress among dental assistants. In a previous paper, the extent and nature of work stress among this group was described and linked to a behavioural outcome: namely, intentions to change jobs or seek work outside of dentistry. In this paper the psychological outcomes of work stress, in the form of job satisfaction and emotional well‐being, are examined. Using data collected by a mail survey, it was revealed that the main sources of dissatisfaction for dental assistants were low incomes, lack of opportunity to develop professionally and a lack of recognition. Almost one‐in‐live had scores on a standard measure of emotional distress, which indicated a cause for concern. Work stress proved to be a significant predictor of job satisfaction, and work stress and job satisfaction emerged as significant predictors of emotional well‐being. Social support while at work showed direct and interactive effects on job satisfaction hut not emotional well‐being. Role ambiguity, under‐utilization of skills and low self‐esteem emerged as important issues. These results are of interest theoretically and have important implications for the way denial practice and dentistry are organized.