Assesses occupational stress.
Samuel H. Osipow, Ph.D.

• Age Range: Adult-elder adult
• Time: 30 minutes

The OSI-R is a concise measure of three domains of occupational adjustment: occupational stress, psychological strain, and coping resources. The original research edition of the OSI was designed to (a) develop an integrated theoretical model to link these three important dimensions, and (b) develop an occupational stress measure that would apply across different levels and environments. This revision, appropriate for ages 18 years and older, provides normative data for both gender and specific occupational categories (i.e., executive, professional, technical, administrative support, public service/safety and agricultural/production/laborer). It also includes modifications to several original OSI items and generates new items for each of the three domains. A number of correlational and multivariate studies using the OSI provide evidence of the relationship among stress, strain and coping.

OSI-R scales assess three dimensions of occupational adjustment:

1. Occupational stress is measured by a set of six scales that comprise the Occupational Roles Questionnaire (ORQ). The ORQ scales measure the following stress-inducing work roles: Role Overload, Role Insufficiency, Role Ambiguity, Role Boundary, Responsibility, and Physical Environment.
2. Psychological strain is measured by a set of four scales that comprise the Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ). The PSQ scales reflect affective responses in four major categories: Vocational Strain, Psychological Strain, Interpersonal Strain, and Physical Strain.
3. Coping resources are measured by four scales that comprise the Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ): Recreation, Self-Care, Social Support, and Rational/Cognitive Coping.

The OSI-R is suitable for a number of important mental health applications:

• Individual screening can provide information about the work roles that are producing the individual’s stress in order to help him or her develop coping strategies.
• Organizational/occupational assessment can help to identify the sources of stress and the symptoms of strain prevalent in a specific occupational unit or group.
• Programs for employee assistance and counseling can utilize the results of the OSI-R to help the individual understand the sources of his or her occupational stress.
• Career counseling may help an employee to either adjust to the present situation or change to a more appropriate position.
• The OSI-R can serve as a reliable and consistent outcome measure to establish the effectiveness of individual or organizational interventions.

The OSI-R Kit includes the Professional Manual, 25 Reusable Item Booklets and 50 each of the Rating Sheets, Gender-Specific Profile Forms and Generic Profile Forms.