Perceptions of Organizational Stress among Female Executives in the U.S. Government: An Exploratory Study

The psychometric properties and factor structure of a 15-item self-reporting instrument measuring perceptions of stress precipitators was investigated in a sample of 146 female Senior Executive Service employees of the U.S. federal government. A four factor solution was found to best represent the sample. Additionally, cluster analysis revealed the presence of three relatively homogeneous subgroups of sample respondents, based on the source and level of their perceived stress. It was found that “concerns about one's performance” was the highest ranked stressor, followed by concerns about work load, responsibility and authority ambiguities, and the fear of making the wrong decision. The cluster analysis resulted in three groups of stress patterns. The highest stress group included women who put the job above all else, the second highest group had a high propensity for job achievement, and the lowest stress group represented women who placed a high emphasis on self-actualization and “out-side” job considerations.