Software Stress Assessment Test: A Preliminary Investigation

Abstract

Though research on stress has been on the increase in recent years, occupational stress literature is based, to a large extent, on individual perception rather than substantiated fact. The present study was undertaken with the objective of developing a stress assessment test for the software professional. The test consists of 57 items covering four factors namely, job-related, organisational, personal and behavioural. The test was administered to 33 software specialists from a software firm in Bangalore. Based on the data, percentile norms were established. The scale was subjected to reliability test. The split half reliability is 0.816**. Work is currently on in the area and further research is required in this direction. Individual moves into a state of exhaustion, from which tissue breakdown and even death can result. In other words, continued stress can lead to bodily damage. The body manifests the stress reaction by a rise in blood pressure, increased adrenaline, changed heartbeat, more RBCs, slower digestion, and so on. However, Selye argued that a moderate amount of stress could be a positive experience while too little stress could be negative.