For the past three years, employment in the petroleum industry has declined significantly. This, along with many other factors, has created a potentially stressful situation similar to the petroleum industry recession of the late 1950s. A four page Stress Questionnaire mailed to 1000 geoscientists in the U.S. petroleum industry in August, 1984, concludes that geoscientists appear to be coping very well with their potentially stressful situation.
These geoscientists rated themselves considerably up-to-date with respect to their professional discipline and show a strong need to grow and develop. They are very personally involved in their work and at least some of the major satisfaction in their lives comes from work, yet they have other important activities outside of work.
Among the 504 respondents (50.4% response rate, excluding retirees and blank responses), the majority are not overly depressed, anxious, high levels of self-esteem or resentful; and they have and hope for the future. However, many indicated a need for stress and stress management seminars.
The three main stressors among petroleum geoscientists are (1) meeting time schedules, (2) too much work/too little time, and (3) lack of proper resources. Their major methods of coping with stress are (1) physical exercise, (2) talking with a friend, and (3) analyzing and eliminating the cause of stress. If time and opportunity were available, geoscientists would (1) exercise, (2) rest and relax, and (3) apply time management techniques to cope with stress --Abstract, pages ii-iii