Leadership personality trait linked with reduced work-related stress

Many characteristics of Type A personalities -- aggression, time urgency and competitiveness -- have been linked to higher rates of work-related stress and increased risks of heart disease. However, according to a recent study, one important exception may actually lower stress associated with the job.

In the report, published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, researchers from the University of Helsinki in Finland concluded that leadership is a Type A characteristic associated with reduced job stress -- a finding they said may be useful in designing work-related stress-reduction programs.

Researchers analyzed the relationship between Type A behavior and work stress in 752 Finnish workers. In contrast to previous studies, they broke Type A behavior into four dimensions -- leadership, aggression, being "hard driving," and eagerness-energy. High scores for aggression, hard driving and eagerness-energy were all associated with high job stress. These three Type A characteristics were also linked to "effort-reward imbalance," a key contributor to work stress.

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In contrast, workers who scored high on leadership had lower work stress. Strong leadership was linked to high work effort but also to high work rewards. High leadership scores were also associated with high job control, which researchers said may help to reduce work stress.

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February 22, 2010

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