Expert- och deltagarperspektiv på stress hos scenartister

Abstract

The phenomenon of stress is often illustrated by means of the demand-control-support model, a model that has inspired many research efforts in the area of psychosocial work environment. According to the model, work that is characterised by high demands, low decision latitude and low social support affects aversively health and well-being. Work control and social support may on the other hand act as buffers and protect against stress effects. However, there is no agreement on how this process works. The purpose of the present study was to contribute to the developing knowledge of the stress phenomenon by combining two perspectives (the expert- and the participatory one) in a study of stage artists, an occupation differing from those investigated previously. One of the perspectives, the expert one, has its roots in the "main stream" tradition in work psychology and social medicine focusing on statistical testing of the demand-control-support model. The other perspective, the participation one, stems from the psychosocial tradition started in Sweden by Bertil Gardell and his colleagues, focusing on the active role of employees in the research process. The combination of the perspectives was expected to provide knowledge, which is more contextualized and valid. The methods involved "research circles" and a survey distributed to 395 stage artists (actors, singers, dancers, choristers and musicians). "Research circles" served as a means of communication between researchers and artists shaping the survey's form and providing the interpretative frame for the results. In the statistical analysis of the survey data the main-, mediator and moderator effects of control and social support were tested. The results show that work demands, control and social support act through main effect on psychological well-being and health for stage artists. Using a path analysis, no mediator effect of social support and control was found. The hiearchial multiple regression analysis revealed no moderator effects. Creation of meaning involved in the personal identity formation was disclosed in the discussion as being of central importance in the understanding of the artistic work. The study highlights the importance of examining specific groups in working life in order to obtain a contextualized knowledge of stress. The results also show a need to use different epistemological and methodological approaches